15 mph speed limit proposed for Miners Park ATV trail

IRONWOOD — A representative of the local Western U.P. Snow Shakers assured the Ironwood City Commission Monday that if an all-terrain vehicle trail is opened in the Miners Memorial Heritage Park, it will not be a “scramble area.”

Rob Youngberg, speaking for the group that was previously called the Gogebic Range Trail Authority, said a 15 mph speed limit would be strictly followed by the riders.

A proposed motorized east-west trail through the 1.5-mile park has created controversy because about half of the people surveyed about uses there said the park should be for silent sports only.

The city commission will ultimately decide if there will be an ATV trail through the park. Commissioners would like to see the Friends of the Miners Memorial Heritage Park and ATV-snowmobile groups come up with a compromise and recommendation regarding a motorized trail in the park.

Youngberg spoke at both a Monday work session of the commission and the later regular meeting.

He said at 15 mph the machines are “fairly quiet.”

He said the park trail would not be advertised on Trail 2 and would be mostly for local residents to get to the trail system, not for racing.

Youngberg also said the local clubs did not ask for city streets to be opened to ATVs and snowmobiles.

The city commission, on a 3-2 vote, previously approved both an ordinance and two resolutions allowing snowmobiles and ATVs on all streets, except U.S. 2 and Business Route U.S. 2, stressing the intent is to allow machine users to better access trails.

The speed limit on city streets continues to be 25 mph and operation of the machines will not be allowed from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m.

In opening city streets to ATVs and snowmobiles, commissioners said they could change the resolutions in the future if there are too many problems.