Motorists in Gilpin soon will share the road with ATV riders.
Township supervisors voted 4-0 in July to pass an ordinance allowing ATVs on most local roads. The board voted down a similar proposal in 2019.
“There were around 25 residents in attendance, most for, a few against,” Supervisor Charles Stull said.
The ordinance makes it legal to drive ATVs on most township-maintained roads. Roads where ATVs won’t be allowed include Park Road, James Leech Road, Lehigh Drive, Highland Drive, Beatty Road and Veterans Avenue, along with private drives and state-maintained roads including Ice Pond, Lovers Leap, Novinger and Schenley roads and Route 66.
Stull said he sees the ordinance as a huge opportunity for residents.
“Many residents own ATVs and UTVs (utility terrain vehicle), and many of those residents, for many years, have been using those roads while not knowing, or not caring, that it was against the law. I felt it was time to open the roads to ATVs and UTVs to travel on township roadways, and to regulate their own use on township roadways,” Stull said.
Permits are required and must be renewed annually.
Each permit will cost $75 for residents, $100 for nonresidents and $50 for people 65 and older.
Required permit information includes name, address, all operator names for the vehicle, insurance company and policy number, make and model of ATV and driver’s license number.
Gilpin road foreman Ted Long said he will begin installing 100 ATV signs provided by the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources on select roads next week.
Long said the township has almost 30 miles of roads, and ATV use is prohibited until all of the proper signage is installed and a permit is obtained.
He estimates the installation will take a few weeks and said the township will order additional posts to accommodate the signs which are larger than anticipated.
“I appreciate the opportunity to obtain no-cost signage from DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry and look forward to the signage being installed over the next few weeks,” Stull said.
