New ORV Ordinance

New ORV Ordinance #08-01 The Houghton County Board of Commissioners has passed a new ORV Ordinance on October 21st, 2008. The Ordinance allows ORV usage on most of the county roads, following are some of the requirements/restrictions: 1. All Houghton County Road Commission Primary Roads except, Big Traverse Road, Horoscope Road, Lake Avenue, Lake 13 Road, Mud Lake Road, South Laird Road, Sturgeon River Road & West Old 28 Road are restricted for non-use by ORV traffic. 2. State and Federal highways are restricted by state law. 3. Maximum speed allowed on unrestricted roadways is 25 m.p.h. 4. ORV must travel with the flow of traffic and in the maintained portion of the roadway (ie NOT on slopes, ditches or anywhere right of the ditch). 5. A child less than 16 years of age shall not operate an ORV on a road in the county unless the child is under the direct supervision of an adult and the child has in his or her immediate possession a Michigan issued ORV safety certificate or a comparable ORV safety certificate issued under the authority of another state or a province of Canada. 6. Any person who violates this ordinance is guilty of a municipal infraction and may be ordered to pay a civil fine of not more than $500. 7. A court may order a person who causes damage to the environment, a road or other property as a result of the operation of an ORV to pay full restitution for that damage above and beyond the penalties paid for civil fines. 8. ORV must be operated in a manner that does not interfere with traffic on the road or street. 9. All local county roads are open to ORV traffic in the maintained portion of the roadway. This notice is for informational purposes only, to help highlight some of the rules/regulations of the ordinance. Contact the County Controller’s Office for a copy of the actual Ordinance as passed by the County Board of Commissioners