It is legal to ride the Right of Way on a State Highway BUT you have to stay on the extreme right of the open area of the ROW, come to a complete stop and yield to use the shoulder to access a bridge. Here is a link to the Michigan Snowmobile regulations, scroll down to page 2 for highway use.
I guess Lansing should probably change the law if they don't want people ditch banging.
The law (MCL 324.82119) allows for snowmobiles to " be operated on the right-of-way of a public highway, except a limited access highway, if it is operated at the extreme right of the open portion of the right-of-way and with the flow of traffic on the highway."
To understand what this means, you have to look at the definitions of right-of-way, roadway and shoulder:
"Right-of-way" means that portion of a highway or street less the roadway and any shoulder.
"Roadway" means that portion of a highway or street improved, designated, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel. If a highway or street includes 2 or more separate roadways, the term roadway refers to any roadway separately, but not to all of the roadways collectively.
"Shoulder" means that portion of a highway or street on either side of the roadway that is normally snowplowed for the safety and convenience of vehicular traffic.
By looking at these definitions, it becomes clearer that you can operate your snowmobile on the non-maintained or unplowed areas of the right-of-ways, but not on the actual roadway or shoulder of the road.
Most County road right-of-ways are 33 feet from the center of the road and most State road right-of-ways are 66 feet from the center of the road. Private property owners do still maintain legal rights within the unmaintained portion of the right-of-way and can post these "No Trespassing" or place barriers such as snow fences.
With that being said, there is an exception to the law that allows County Road Commissions authority to allow operation of snowmobiles on the shoulder of the roads.
If a county does allow this type of operation, they will have signs posted at the county lines stating snowmobiles are "permitted on right-of-way or shoulder of all .......... (county name) roads -- MCL 324.82119." At no time are snowmobiles allowed on or allowed to cross Limited Access Highways such as I-96, I-94, U.S. 131, etc.
Disclaimer: You may still get ticketed and have to hope the Judge interprets correctly if the LEO did not.
I guess Lansing should probably change the law if they don't want people ditch banging.
The law (MCL 324.82119) allows for snowmobiles to " be operated on the right-of-way of a public highway, except a limited access highway, if it is operated at the extreme right of the open portion of the right-of-way and with the flow of traffic on the highway."
To understand what this means, you have to look at the definitions of right-of-way, roadway and shoulder:
"Right-of-way" means that portion of a highway or street less the roadway and any shoulder.
"Roadway" means that portion of a highway or street improved, designated, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel. If a highway or street includes 2 or more separate roadways, the term roadway refers to any roadway separately, but not to all of the roadways collectively.
"Shoulder" means that portion of a highway or street on either side of the roadway that is normally snowplowed for the safety and convenience of vehicular traffic.
By looking at these definitions, it becomes clearer that you can operate your snowmobile on the non-maintained or unplowed areas of the right-of-ways, but not on the actual roadway or shoulder of the road.
Most County road right-of-ways are 33 feet from the center of the road and most State road right-of-ways are 66 feet from the center of the road. Private property owners do still maintain legal rights within the unmaintained portion of the right-of-way and can post these "No Trespassing" or place barriers such as snow fences.
With that being said, there is an exception to the law that allows County Road Commissions authority to allow operation of snowmobiles on the shoulder of the roads.
If a county does allow this type of operation, they will have signs posted at the county lines stating snowmobiles are "permitted on right-of-way or shoulder of all .......... (county name) roads -- MCL 324.82119." At no time are snowmobiles allowed on or allowed to cross Limited Access Highways such as I-96, I-94, U.S. 131, etc.
Disclaimer: You may still get ticketed and have to hope the Judge interprets correctly if the LEO did not.
I was hesitant at first, but it really is a great system.