Hancock houghton bridge

[dragon_700]

Be nice if they could just compromise and let atvs cross with regular traffic.not like they are driving all the highways just need to cross the bridge.speeds are slow enough there that you wouldn't think it would be that much of a safety hazard?Guess i have only been up there in the winter but would like to make a trip through there on atv but hard to pinpoint time to make it through there?what is the fine?

 

[cowelldad]

Michigan passed PA117-2013 last fall. That change in law now makes it possible for the Michigan DOT to authorize the use of ATVs on highway right-of-ways, or even the highway itself in order to cross bridges or other segments that meet certain criteria. The first step in the process is for a local unit of government (in this case, City of Houghton and/or Hancock, or Houghton County) requests that the MDOT allow use of ATV/UTVs on a specific segment of 41. If MDOT agrees, then the cities and/or county need to amend their ordinances to allow it.

Does anyone reading this have contacts in local government that could kick off this effort?

 

[indy_500]

I would just water skip the canal

 

[mezz]

I would just water skip the canal

And I would pay to watch that happen on an ATV!-Mezz

 

[MR.HAPPY]

Bartender at DownTowner Bar, right there at the bridge told me last weekend that he sees atv-utvs going over the bridge all the time w/o escorts! Not really a big deal he said.

 

[ranlam]

Bartender at DownTowner Bar, right there at the bridge told me last weekend that he sees atv-utvs going over the bridge all the time w/o escorts! Not really a big deal he said.

Ive heard the same thing. I wouldnt make such a big deal over it. Police dont have time to b messing round with escorting wheelers. There not gonna give u a ticket, unless yer doing something stupid.

 

[kittylee]

Last summer we got to the meeting area on the Houghton side and there wasn't a police escort available at the 1:30 PM time stated on the map. We didn't mind waiting until one became available which was about 45 minutes later. We stayed overnight in Hancock and called the Hancock police dept. that night to let them know we would be needing an escort to cross at the 9:30 AM designated time the next day. He told me that if we did not have 4 ATVs in our group - we would not get an escort. So we called the next morning while sitting at the meeting site at 9:30 and got the same answer. I asked how we were supposed to get back and he said to 'just run it but you are on your own'. We are rule followers and didn't want to go against what the map rules said but while sitting there - a Banshee passed us on the trail and then went onto the highway and across the bridge without escort. We had no choice but to cross without escort so we could go home to White Pine. Wish I had his statement in writing for future use. It definitely puts a damper on planning a trip in that direction.