25 MPH speed limit on lakes in WI?

[Deleted member 10829]

I just received an email from our county that the state is considering the law described above. Below is the email I received.

Here is some very valuable information that pertains to the above noted subject that needs to sent along to ALL clubs!There will be a meeting in EVERY county on Monday, April 9, 2012 @ 7:00 pm. Let your voice be heard!! I have had phone calls in the office today and please make sure that everyone understands that they are NOT voting this into law on Monday (as some have called with that mind frame).Be prepared to show ID if requested as proof of residency in that County.Question #65 on page 25 of the agenda (attached).I’ll get something posted to the website as well.


Below is the actual question they are asking for feedback on. I have a list of all the counties and where the meetings will be at if anyone needs it.


QUESTION 65. Create a maximum of 25 mph on Frozen Water (# 180311) (requires legislation)
Winter outdoor recreation activities are increasing in popularity and there are a growing number of users on the frozen waters of the state. Anglers, snowmobilers, ATVers, cross-country skiers, ice skaters, and Wisconsinites of all ages are often found simultaneously enjoying the frozen waters of the state. Cars, trucks, snowmobiles, and ATV’s driving and riding on the frozen surface, can create safety hazards and issues for other users. Sometimes these vehicles are moving at high speeds and within close proximity to persons, other vehicles, or structures. Vehicles moving at high speeds also contribute to some degree to the deterioration of ice conditions due to the energy wave created under the surface of the ice. ATV’s and snowmobiles are currently required to slow to 10 mph on the ice when within 100 feet of a person not on a motorized vehicle or within 100 feet of an ice shanty. Speed limits for licensed motor vehicles (cars, trucks, etc) on the frozen waters of the state are not regulated on a statewide basis by state law and only some municipalities have local regulations. This proposal would create consistent regulations for all licensed motorized vehicles (cars, trucks, etc) on the frozen waters of the state.
65. Would you support legislation creating a maximum speed limit of 25 mph for all licensed motorized vehicles (cars, trucks, etc) travelling on frozen waters of the state unless on a designated state or club marked trail?
65. YES _____
NO ______

 

[Cat600]

Doubt it should hold up.

plus how could they enforce it? With that many people on lakes it would make it pretty hard to catch up to offenders safely.

 

[nic]

At face value- this doesn't affect snowmobiles. It says would you support 25 mph for all LICENSED VEHICLES (cars, trucks, etc) on frozen lakes. Snowmobiles are not licensed vehicles. We would not be impacted by this. It also says... unless on a state or club marked trail. So if you're on a trail- licensed or not- doesn't affect you. Not on a trail, and not on/in a licensed vehicle, doesn't affect you. I've never seen a car or truck going fast on a frozen lake, but I suppose they could. Am I misreading? It specifically calls out that ATVs and Sleds are required to slow to 10mph when within 100feet of a person or shanty. But that LICENSED VEHICLES (cars, trucks, etc) are not regulated. It appears to me it's those vehicles that would be impacted by this.

 

[anonomoose]

Snowmobiles most definitely ARE licensed.

 

[gary_in_neenah]

Agreed, snowmobiles are licensed. As I understand this, ATV's and Snowmobiles currently have restrictions when near people or shantys on ice, cars and trucks do not. It looks like they want to group all motorized vehicles so that 25mph would be the max on the ice.

Personally, I think things are fine with the way they are now. I don't ride lakes that often and feel 25mph would be way too slow and tedious if there were no people or hazards nearby.

As for enforcement, well, I thought I'd share this one...

A cocky State Highways employee stopped at a farm and talked with an old farmer. He told the farmer, "I need to inspect your farm for a possible new road."
The old farmer said, "OK, but don't go in that field over there."
The Highways employee said, "Listen Mr. I have the authority of the State Government to go where ever I want, whenever I want. See this, showing him his ID Badge? I am allowed to go wherever I wish on farm land."
So the old farmer went about his farm chores. Later, he heard loud screams and saw the State Highways employee running for the fence and close behind was the farmer's prize bull. The bull was madder than a nest full of hornets and the bull was gaining on the employee at every step!
The old farmer called out, "Show him your badge, show him your badge!"

 

[lvr1000]

""snowmobiles are currently required to slow to 10 mph on the ice when within 100 feet of an ice shanty."
I found this one out the hard way> brand new '96 T-cat, 9:39pm, new moon, 87 feet from an unlite/unmarked (no reflectors) shanty, 14mph, $139 fine. Sled had 3.2 miles on it. Didn't even see the dark colored shanty or the black DNR vehicle hiding behind it, it was that dark out.

 

[blu2u2]

Here are the list of meeting locations for each County in WI..

DNR Spring Hearings and Wisconsin Conservation Congress County Meeting
Monday, April 9, 2012, 7:00 p.m.
Adams Adams County Courthouse, County Board Room A230, 402 Main Street, Friendship, WI 53934
Ashland Ashland County Court House, Main Court Room, 201 Main Street West, Ashland, WI 54806
Barron Barron Government Center, Auditorium, 303 E. LaSalle Ave., Barron, WI 54812
Bayfield Bayfield County Courthouse, Upstairs, 117 E. 5th Street, Washburn, WI 54891
Brown Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (SC132), 2740 W. Mason St., Green Bay, WI 54313
Buffalo Alma High School Gymnasium, S1618 STH 35, Alma, WI 54610
Burnett Burnett County Government Center, Room 165, 7410 County Road K, Siren, WI 54872
Calumet Calumet County Courthouse, Rm. B025, 206 Court Street, Chilton, WI 53014
Chippewa Chippewa Falls Middle School, 750 Tropicana Blvd., Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
Clark Greenwood High School, 306 W. Central Ave., Greenwood, WI 54437
Columbia Wayne E. Bartels Middle School, Gymnasium, 2505 New Pinery Rd., Portage, WI 53901
Crawford Prairie du Chien High School, Auditorium, 800 E. Crawford St., Prairie du Chien, WI 53821
Dane Middleton Cross Plains Performing Arts Center, 2100 Bristol St., Middleton, WI 53562
Dodge Horicon International Education Center, Lower Level Auditorium, N7725 STH 28, Horicon, WI 53032
Door Crossroads at Big Creek, 2041 Michigan St., Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
Douglas Brule Town Hall, 5820 S. Maple St., Brule, WI 54820
Dunn Dunn County Fish and Game Club, 1900 Pioneer Ave., Menomonie, WI 54751
Eau Claire South Middle School, Auditorium, 2115 Mitscher Ave., Eau Claire, WI 54701
Florence Florence Natural Resource Center, Basement Conference Rm., 5631 Forestry Dr., Florence, WI 54121
Fond du Lac Theisen Middle School, 525 E Pioneer Rd., Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 54935
Forest Crandon High School, Auditorium, 9750 US HWY 8 West, Crandon, WI 54520
Grant Youth and Agriculture Building Main Auditorium, 916 East Elm Street, Lancaster, WI 53813
Green Monroe Middle School, 1510 13th Avenue, Monroe, WI 53566
Green Lake Green Lake High School, Small Gym, 612 Mill St., Green Lake, WI 54941
Iowa Dodgeville High School, Gymnasium, 912 Chapel Street, Dodgeville, WI 53533
Iron Iron County Courthouse, 300 Taconite Street, Hurley, WI 54534
Jackson Black River Falls Middle School, LGI Room, 1202 Pierce Street, Black River Falls, WI 54615
Jefferson Jefferson County Fair Park Activity Center, 503 N. Jackson, Jefferson, WI 52549
Juneau Olson Middle School Auditorium, 508 Grayside Avenue, Mauston, WI 53948
Kenosha Bristol Elementary School, Gymnasium, 20121 83rd Street, Bristol, WI 53104
Kewaunee Kewaunee High School, Auditorium, 911 Third Street, Kewaunee, WI 54216
La Crosse Onalaska High School, Auditorium, 700 Hilltopper Place, Onalaska, WI 54650
Lafayette Darlington Elementary School, Large Group Room, 11630 Center Hill Road, Darlington, WI 53530
Langlade Antigo High School, Volm Theater, 1900 10th Ave., Antigo, WI 54409
Lincoln Tomahawk Elementary School, 1048 East King Road, Tomahawk, WI 54487
Manitowoc UW-Manitowoc, Auditorium, 705 Viebahn Street, Manitowoc, WI 54220
Marathon D.C. Everest Middle School, Auditorium, 9302 Schofield Avenue, Weston, WI 54476
Marinette Crivitz High School, Auditorium, 400 South Avenue, Crivitz, WI 54114
Marquette Montello High School Community Room, 222 Forest Lane, Montello, WI 53949
Menominee Menominee County Courthouse,W3269 Courthouse Lane, Keshena, WI 54135
Milwaukee Nathan Hale High School, Auditorium, 11601 W. Lincoln Ave., West Allis, WI 53227
Monroe Meadowview School, Cafetorium A103, 1225 N Water Street, Sparta, WI 54656
Oconto Suring High School, Cafeteria, 411 E Algoma St., Suring, WI 54174
Oneida Nicolet College, LRC Theatre, 5355 Campus Road, Rhinelander, WI 54501
Outagamie Riverview Middle School Auditorium, 101 Oak St., Kaukauna, WI 54130
Ozaukee Cedarburg Cultural Center, W62 N546 Washington Avenue, Cedarburg, WI 53012
Pepin Pepin County Government Center, County Board Room, 740 7th Ave. West, Durand, WI 54736
Pierce Ellsworth Senior High School, Auditorium, 323 Hillcrest, Ellsworth, WI 54011
Polk Unity High School/Unity Community Ed., Auditorium, 1908 150th St. Hwy 46, Balsam Lake, WI 54810
Portage Ben Franklin Junior High School Auditorium, 2000 Polk St., Stevens Point, WI 54481
Price Price County Courthouse, Board Room, 126 Cherry St., Phillips, WI 54555
Racine Union Grove High School, Performance Arts Center, 3433 S. Colony Ave., Union Grove, WI 53182
Richland Richland County Courthouse, Upstairs Courtroom, 181 West Seminary, Richland Center, WI 53581
Rock Pontiac Convention Center, 2809 N Pontiac Dr., Janesville, WI 53545
Rusk Ladysmith High School, Auditorium, 1700 E. Edgewood Ave., Ladysmith, WI 54848
Saint Croix St Croix Central High School, Commons, 1751 Broadway St., Hammond, WI 54015
Sauk UW Baraboo Campus, Lecture Hall A-4, 1006 Connie Road, Baraboo, WI 53913
Sawyer Winter High School, 6585W Grove Street, Winter, WI 54896
Shawano Shawano Middle School, LGI Room, 1050 S. Union St., Shawano, WI 54166
Sheboygan Sheboygan Falls High School, Auditorium, 220 Amherst Ave., Sheboygan Falls, WI 53085
Taylor Fair Grounds, Multi-purpose building, Hwy 64/ Hwy 13, Medford, WI 54451
Trempealeau Whitehall City Center, 18620 Hobson St., Whitehall, WI 54773
Vernon Viroqua High School, Commons Room, 100 Blackhawk Drive, Viroqua, WI 54665
Vilas St. Germain Elementary School, Gymnasium, 8234 Hwy 70 West, Saint Germain, WI 54558
Walworth Delavan-Darien High School, 150 Cummings St., Delavan, WI 53115
Washburn Spooner High School Auditorium, 801 County Highway A, Spooner, WI 54801
Washington Washington County Fair Park, 3000 Cty Hwy PV, West Bend, WI 53095
Waukesha Waukesha Co. Tech. College, Richard Anderson Ed. Center, 800 Main Street, Pewaukee, WI 53072
Waupaca Waupaca High School, PAC-Auditorium, E 2325 King Rd., Waupaca, WI 54981
Waushara Waushara County Courthouse, County Board Rm. 265, 209 S. St. Marie St., Wautoma, WI 54982
Winnebago Webster Stanley Middle School, Auditorium, 915 Hazel Street, Oshkosh, WI 54901
Wood Pittsville High School, Auditorium, 5407 1st Ave, Pittsville, WI 54466

 

[xcsp]

So who came up with this idea of a 25mph speed limit?

Suppose a daytime speed limit on trails won't be too far off if they somehow pull this off.

 

[ezra]

has to pass over the Gov desk Walker will never sign it

 

[jr37]

I don't think it would pass. But, I am not surprised that it is being brought up. I heard that there were alot of compaints this year with sleds and ATVs going to fast, to close to shacks and people. With a good snow year the majority of the sleds will be back on the trails, not the lakes.

 

[rp7x]

pisses me off

when someone puts a ice shack next to a marked trail , then what ? i see it all the time its easy for them to drive thier truck out

 

[dab102999]

Snowmobiles most definitely ARE licensed.

You have to title and plate a sled in Wisconsin???...a registration and a license/title are two different things in michigan..and in michigan i believe it specifically states that a snowmobile must slow to foward momentum only when within a specified distance (i think 100 ft) of an ice shanny or public (ice skaters or fisherman and such)...not tryin to argue here just askin a question...

 

[upbarleyboy]

25 mph on a lake is extreme. I could see maybe a 55 mph speed limit with a reduction to 25 or 35 when within 100 yards of shanties or people in general. Hopefully Michigan doesn't get the same brainstorm-you'd have to pack a lunch to cross Lake Gogebic-it would take nearly an hour.

 

[jr37]

I don't think this will go anywhere, but. At these DNR meetings, its attendance is full of hunters and fishermen, and few snowmobilers. It is important to have our voices heard. If you cannot attend a meeting, drop a quick call to voice your opinion on this. These meetings could be full of fishermen that think it's a good idea.

 

[440_chazz]

Here are the list of meeting locations for each County in WI..

DNR Spring Hearings and Wisconsin Conservation Congress County Meeting
Monday, April 9, 2012, 7:00 p.m.
Adams Adams County Courthouse, County Board Room A230, 402 Main Street, Friendship, WI 53934
Ashland Ashland County Court House, Main Court Room, 201 Main Street West, Ashland, WI 54806
Barron Barron Government Center, Auditorium, 303 E. LaSalle Ave., Barron, WI 54812
Bayfield Bayfield County Courthouse, Upstairs, 117 E. 5th Street, Washburn, WI 54891
Brown Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (SC132), 2740 W. Mason St., Green Bay, WI 54313
Buffalo Alma High School Gymnasium, S1618 STH 35, Alma, WI 54610
Burnett Burnett County Government Center, Room 165, 7410 County Road K, Siren, WI 54872
Calumet Calumet County Courthouse, Rm. B025, 206 Court Street, Chilton, WI 53014
Chippewa Chippewa Falls Middle School, 750 Tropicana Blvd., Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
Clark Greenwood High School, 306 W. Central Ave., Greenwood, WI 54437
Columbia Wayne E. Bartels Middle School, Gymnasium, 2505 New Pinery Rd., Portage, WI 53901
Crawford Prairie du Chien High School, Auditorium, 800 E. Crawford St., Prairie du Chien, WI 53821
Dane Middleton Cross Plains Performing Arts Center, 2100 Bristol St., Middleton, WI 53562
Dodge Horicon International Education Center, Lower Level Auditorium, N7725 STH 28, Horicon, WI 53032
Door Crossroads at Big Creek, 2041 Michigan St., Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
Douglas Brule Town Hall, 5820 S. Maple St., Brule, WI 54820
Dunn Dunn County Fish and Game Club, 1900 Pioneer Ave., Menomonie, WI 54751
Eau Claire South Middle School, Auditorium, 2115 Mitscher Ave., Eau Claire, WI 54701
Florence Florence Natural Resource Center, Basement Conference Rm., 5631 Forestry Dr., Florence, WI 54121
Fond du Lac Theisen Middle School, 525 E Pioneer Rd., Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 54935
Forest Crandon High School, Auditorium, 9750 US HWY 8 West, Crandon, WI 54520
Grant Youth and Agriculture Building Main Auditorium, 916 East Elm Street, Lancaster, WI 53813
Green Monroe Middle School, 1510 13th Avenue, Monroe, WI 53566
Green Lake Green Lake High School, Small Gym, 612 Mill St., Green Lake, WI 54941
Iowa Dodgeville High School, Gymnasium, 912 Chapel Street, Dodgeville, WI 53533
Iron Iron County Courthouse, 300 Taconite Street, Hurley, WI 54534
Jackson Black River Falls Middle School, LGI Room, 1202 Pierce Street, Black River Falls, WI 54615
Jefferson Jefferson County Fair Park Activity Center, 503 N. Jackson, Jefferson, WI 52549
Juneau Olson Middle School Auditorium, 508 Grayside Avenue, Mauston, WI 53948
Kenosha Bristol Elementary School, Gymnasium, 20121 83rd Street, Bristol, WI 53104
Kewaunee Kewaunee High School, Auditorium, 911 Third Street, Kewaunee, WI 54216
La Crosse Onalaska High School, Auditorium, 700 Hilltopper Place, Onalaska, WI 54650
Lafayette Darlington Elementary School, Large Group Room, 11630 Center Hill Road, Darlington, WI 53530
Langlade Antigo High School, Volm Theater, 1900 10th Ave., Antigo, WI 54409
Lincoln Tomahawk Elementary School, 1048 East King Road, Tomahawk, WI 54487
Manitowoc UW-Manitowoc, Auditorium, 705 Viebahn Street, Manitowoc, WI 54220
Marathon D.C. Everest Middle School, Auditorium, 9302 Schofield Avenue, Weston, WI 54476
Marinette Crivitz High School, Auditorium, 400 South Avenue, Crivitz, WI 54114
Marquette Montello High School Community Room, 222 Forest Lane, Montello, WI 53949
Menominee Menominee County Courthouse,W3269 Courthouse Lane, Keshena, WI 54135
Milwaukee Nathan Hale High School, Auditorium, 11601 W. Lincoln Ave., West Allis, WI 53227
Monroe Meadowview School, Cafetorium A103, 1225 N Water Street, Sparta, WI 54656
Oconto Suring High School, Cafeteria, 411 E Algoma St., Suring, WI 54174
Oneida Nicolet College, LRC Theatre, 5355 Campus Road, Rhinelander, WI 54501
Outagamie Riverview Middle School Auditorium, 101 Oak St., Kaukauna, WI 54130
Ozaukee Cedarburg Cultural Center, W62 N546 Washington Avenue, Cedarburg, WI 53012
Pepin Pepin County Government Center, County Board Room, 740 7th Ave. West, Durand, WI 54736
Pierce Ellsworth Senior High School, Auditorium, 323 Hillcrest, Ellsworth, WI 54011
Polk Unity High School/Unity Community Ed., Auditorium, 1908 150th St. Hwy 46, Balsam Lake, WI 54810
Portage Ben Franklin Junior High School Auditorium, 2000 Polk St., Stevens Point, WI 54481
Price Price County Courthouse, Board Room, 126 Cherry St., Phillips, WI 54555
Racine Union Grove High School, Performance Arts Center, 3433 S. Colony Ave., Union Grove, WI 53182
Richland Richland County Courthouse, Upstairs Courtroom, 181 West Seminary, Richland Center, WI 53581
Rock Pontiac Convention Center, 2809 N Pontiac Dr., Janesville, WI 53545
Rusk Ladysmith High School, Auditorium, 1700 E. Edgewood Ave., Ladysmith, WI 54848
Saint Croix St Croix Central High School, Commons, 1751 Broadway St., Hammond, WI 54015
Sauk UW Baraboo Campus, Lecture Hall A-4, 1006 Connie Road, Baraboo, WI 53913
Sawyer Winter High School, 6585W Grove Street, Winter, WI 54896
Shawano Shawano Middle School, LGI Room, 1050 S. Union St., Shawano, WI 54166
Sheboygan Sheboygan Falls High School, Auditorium, 220 Amherst Ave., Sheboygan Falls, WI 53085
Taylor Fair Grounds, Multi-purpose building, Hwy 64/ Hwy 13, Medford, WI 54451
Trempealeau Whitehall City Center, 18620 Hobson St., Whitehall, WI 54773
Vernon Viroqua High School, Commons Room, 100 Blackhawk Drive, Viroqua, WI 54665
Vilas St. Germain Elementary School, Gymnasium, 8234 Hwy 70 West, Saint Germain, WI 54558
Walworth Delavan-Darien High School, 150 Cummings St., Delavan, WI 53115
Washburn Spooner High School Auditorium, 801 County Highway A, Spooner, WI 54801
Washington Washington County Fair Park, 3000 Cty Hwy PV, West Bend, WI 53095
Waukesha Waukesha Co. Tech. College, Richard Anderson Ed. Center, 800 Main Street, Pewaukee, WI 53072
Waupaca Waupaca High School, PAC-Auditorium, E 2325 King Rd., Waupaca, WI 54981
Waushara Waushara County Courthouse, County Board Rm. 265, 209 S. St. Marie St., Wautoma, WI 54982
Winnebago Webster Stanley Middle School, Auditorium, 915 Hazel Street, Oshkosh, WI 54901
Wood Pittsville High School, Auditorium, 5407 1st Ave, Pittsville, WI 54466

[size=+2]Meetings are tonight!! 7PM.[/size]

 

[blu2u2]

Just got back from the Outagamie County Meeting. To answer some of the questions on if this would apply to snowmobilers; the DNR Warden said YES! Granted the DNR would require legislation to pass this into law it still is NOT something the DNR needs. I can not imagine only being able to go 25 MPH on a frozen lake.
At tonights meeting I found out that the WI Conservation Congress does NOT accept written comments on their advisory questions. Only the tallies of the public votes received the night of the county meetings (tonight) are taken into consideration when developing final recommendations!
This question (#65) was the hotest topic. Everyone who spoke out were NOT in favor. However, the man (Tim) who drafted this states that the majority of clubs and snowmobilers are in favor??? As a concerned snowmobiler and the Outagamie County Representative I will be calling Tim tomorrow!

 

[xcsp]

I had contacted the AWSC and they definately are not supporters of the proposal and have asked members to vote NO at the DNR meetings.

Who is this "Tim" guy who drafted the question?

 

[united]

I am not sure this issue is even worthy of a post but here it goes anyway.

Same old story, ice fish vs. powered vehicle. I assume (and you know what happens when you do that) that there was some type of isolated incident(s) that was considered by someone to be a "close call" between a young child and a snowmobile or atv or an older family member and a motor vehicle. From this isolated incident the rest of us have to deal with a proposal on a statewide level, which does not seem to be a legitimate chain of events. I assume (again) that most lakes (some lakes yes, but there are a lot of lakes) in the state do not have what is considered a designated trail.

A statewide law is not the answer to this isolated, specific problem. As mentioned in the question, snowmobiles and atvs already have a law that states they have to slow to 10 mph within 100 feet of a shanty or person. So snowmobiles and atvs are already regulated. If someone wants to suggest that motor vehicles should have to slow to 10 mph within 100 feet of a shanty or a person that might have some legitimacy, but I would rather see it handled on a local level. The wording of the proposal almost seems like it is targeted at motor vehicles and snowmobiles and atvs were lumped in as an afterthought.

Mr. Tim, the best way to handle things is on a local level. The exact issue in your specific area is unclear, but it may indeed need some regulation. Some type of ordinance on your specific lake or a specific area of your specific lake would be the best solution. If it is such a large issue in your area, you could attempt some type of county regulation (I certainly would not like to see this get bumped up to a county level, forget the state level). I know it is good to get people to the meetings, but I can only hope that this issue being considered for legislation is some type of ruse.

Please handle the dirty laundry at the local launderer and save the rest of us from all the hot air and agita.

 

[blu2u2]

I had phone conversation with Tim today. If Tim was being honest with me he claims that he first rode a snowmobile in 1969.
He did say that he even used to race sleds (147 MPH top speed)??? He is not a club member and he doesn't ride much now. He is an ice fisherman and he did have an incident while fishing with a sled going too fast too close to him (united's above remark is correct)! He said that the couple of snowmobilers he talked to were in favor of the 25 MPH speed limit. He said he did get another call recently from someone who was an executive director of a snowmobile club who was not in favor. I told Tim that I appreciate his concern for safety but to put a speed limit on frozen waters in WI would not be in the best interest of snowmobilers!
The DNR will have the results of the meetings out tomorrow on their web site. Lets hope that enough snowmobilers attended so this does not go any further.

 

[blu2u2]

Here is the link to the DNR...

http://dnr.wi.gov/org/nrboard/congress/spring_hearings/