FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners and a local resident hammered out details Tuesday that will allow all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles access to a portion of the East Madrid Road in Madrid Township.
The commissioners plan to review and potentially sign a final copy specifically stating those details during their next meeting.
Donald Whittemore of Farmington, who owns property in Madrid, met with the commissioners again Tuesday on behalf the Narrow Gauge Riders, an ATV club, and Northern Franklin Snowmobile Riders.
The groups want to be able to ride about 2 miles on the East Madrid Road from the Barnjum Railroad trail south to a trail near Elizabeth Cooke’s property, Whittemore said.
Commissioners wanted to settle items such as dates, distance, signage and speed limits before authorizing the request.
After discussing the dates trails can open in the spring and when they are limited due to snow in the fall, they agreed that ATV riders could use the road from May 30 to Nov. 1 and snowmobile riders from Nov. 2 to May 29, weather permitting.
“People will use common sense,” Whittemore said. “If there’s mud they won’t use snow machines.”
The speed limit was set at 25 miles per hour and Whittemore agreed to work with the road agent to post signs at the entrances to the trails. The club will assume the cost for the signs.
Although the club voted not to apply for a bonding in case of damage to the road as commissioners had discussed previously, Whittemore said he’d like them to “grant permission to try with the right to revoke it at any time.”
In his 20 years in the area, there’s been no damage to the road when riders have used it illegally, he said.
Whittemore, who has been working on the project since last fall, has talked with property owners on the road who are in agreement with the proposal, he said. Many of the riders using the road are family members riding together and he doesn’t expect a lot of traffic.
Commissioners agreed to review it again and allow use of the road for one year and then review it from year to year.
abryant@sunjournal.com
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