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NICHOLS ROAD OPEN TO
ATV'S - THE TOWN OF WORTH
HAS OPEN THE NICHOLS ROAD BETWEEN JEFFERSON COUNTY ROUTES 96 AND 93.
THIS HAS BEEN THE MISSING LINK BETWEEN BARNES CORNERS AND WINONA
FOREST. THE TOWN OF WORTH HAS OPEN THE ROAD ON A TRAIL BASIS FOR ONE
YEAR SO WHEN OUT RIDING PLEASE OBEY THE SPEED LIMITS AND STAY ON THE
SIGNED ROADS AND TRAILS.
Absolutely Business
has printed a featured article on the Lewis County Trail Permit
system.
Click here to read more...
ATV trail permits for sale
By
STEVE VIRKLER
TIMES STAFF WRITER
SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2009
LOWVILLE — Permits for the Lewis County
all-terrain vehicle trail system go on sale Monday.
The permits — costing $40 for each ATV owned by a
member of one of the 10 clubs in the Tug Hill Adirondack ATV
Association and $80 for each machine owned by a nonmember — will be
available through the Lewis County Chamber of Commerce at its
office, 7559 S. State St., or through its Web site. Family and
weekend rates may be available in the future. The chamber plans eventually to allow area
businesses to sell permits as well, Executive Director Anne L.
Merrill said. "We're very excited that the county has asked us
to do the administration," she said. "We think it's a nice fit." The chamber already has received many calls from
people in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Western New York inquiring
about the status of the planned trail system, and none seemed
concerned about having to buy a permit, Mrs. Merrill said. "They're just excited to have someplace to ride,"
she said. The chamber will keep 10 percent of the permit
fees collected to cover administrative costs, while the rest will be
placed in a county recreational trails fund for establishment,
maintenance and operation of the system.
Legislator Richard C. Lucas, R-Barnes Corners,
chairman of the legislative Economic Development Committee, said he
would like to eventually see 10,000 permits sold annually. "This
year, if we could get 4,000 or 5,000, it would be a success," he
said. ATV enthusiasts will be able to join a club when
they apply for a permit, either in person or online, to take
advantage of the discount. The Tug Hill Adirondack ATV Association —
previously known as the Lewis County ATV Association — now includes
five clubs based in Lewis County and five from nearby counties. The planned 400-mile trail system will be open
from May 1 through the second Friday in October, the start of
hunting season. The initial system should boast at least 100
miles of trails on county reforestation lands and another 100 miles
on private land, said Robert C. Diehl, the county's trail
coordinator. Mr. Diehl estimated that 300 to 400 miles of
county and town roads also will be open to ATV traffic. However, he
said, about half of those miles, encompassing roads that don't
connect with the rest of the system, won't be included on county ATV
maps that will be printed next month. Plans are to continue developing trails on county
and private land in subsequent years, reducing the number of road
miles required, Mr. Lucas said. "The ultimate goal is to use as few roads as
possible," Mr. Diehl said. Permits will be required only to ride on private
and county land, but ATV patrols will ride throughout the entire
trail system, including the roads, to enforce state and county laws. The speed limit will be 25 mph, unless otherwise
posted. Children 10 through 17 will have to complete an ATV safety
course and be accompanied by someone 18 or older to ride on the
system. Details on trail system enforcement are still
being worked out, Mr. Lucas said Friday afternoon shortly before
meeting with Sheriff's Department officials on that issue. The hope is eventually to connect the Lewis
County ATV system with trails in adjacent counties, creating a
regional system, he said.
ON THE NET
Lewis County Chamber of Commerce:
www.lewiscountychamber.org
"GREAT NEWS"
The Town of Lyonsdale has approved the opening of town
roads which will be the connecting trails between the Lewis County
reforestation lands that will be developed into ATV Trails. This is
a big step forward in expanding our Trail Development Program. As we
open roads to connect trails I ask everyone to remain on the hard
surface and not the side of the roads as this will reduce the amount
of maintenance required by the towns to maintain the roads. "MOVING
FORWARDS
LOWVILLE — As expected, Lewis County legislators
on Tuesday approved the creation of a permit-based
all-terrain-vehicle trail system.
Legislators by 8-0 votes adopted laws
establishing a trail system and a Lewis County ATV code. Legislator
Richard C. Lucas, R-Barnes Corners, owner of the Montague Inn,
abstained, while Legislator L. Kelley Dickinson, R-Harrisville, was
absent.
The vote was preceded by about an hour's worth of
comments, most of them from ATV enthusiasts. Several suggested that
proposed permit fees should be lower, particularly for local riders.
According to the trail system law, permits would
cost $40 for each ATV owned by a member of a Lewis County ATV
Association and $80 for each machine owned by a non-member.
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