Residents and officials debate opening Adams County roads to ATVs and UTVs

A committee-of-the-whole meeting of the Adams County Board Tuesday night focused on whether to open county highways to ATV and UTV traffic, with proponents urging full or phased opening and county public safety officials describing enforcement and safety measures.

The discussion drew speakers from nearby counties, tourism officials and local club leaders. Scott Brame, a Wood County supervisor, said his county moved to open most county roads and reported no fatal crashes on roads opened for ATVs and UTVs since the policy was implemented. “In 7 years, we have not had 1 fatality or any car versus ATV or UTV on any of the county roads that we have had open,” Brame said, and urged Adams County supervisors to consider the experience of neighboring counties.

Megan Steckelberg, president and CEO of Visit Adams County (the county’s tourism nonprofit), presented statewide economics cited in the Wisconsin ATV/UTV Association reports and consulting summaries: she told the board that ATV/UTV activity contributed billions to Wisconsin’s economy and has supported tens of thousands of jobs statewide. Steckelberg said Adams County-specific economic estimates were not available without a paid consulting study; she estimated that a local study would cost “between $5,000 to $10,000.”

Local riders also spoke in favor. Bruce “Bubba” Bain, president of the Monroe Prairie ATV Club, described club growth and said opening county highways removes confusing dead-ends for riders traveling between counties. “Most of all, the taxpayers of Adams County, they've spoke already. You know, they want Adams County roads open,” Bain said, referring to a prior nonbinding referendum.

Sheriff York and Deputy McFarland described enforcement and mapping efforts the sheriff’s office already maintains. York said the sheriff’s office has a recreation deputy and works with county GIS to publish an official map of which roads are open, and that deputies and DNR wardens coordinate enforcement. York told supervisors that, since February 2019, the county recorded five ATV/UTV fatalities overall but none on county highways that are open; across the same period the sheriff’s office logged 13 reported ATV/UTV accidents countywide (7 on roadways, 4 on private property and 2 on trails). York said roughly 35 miles of county highway — about 15–16% of county highway miles — are currently open to ATVs, creating confusing gaps for riders.

Several supervisors raised safety and road-condition concerns. One supervisor said modified UTVs can negotiate poor pavement or potholes in ways ordinary motorists cannot, creating risk for following drivers. Another supervisor asked how insurance and liability requirements in county ordinances are enforced; York said enforcement occurs through law enforcement contacts and DNR processes for citations.

No formal county policy change on opening county highways to ATVs or UTVs was adopted at the committee meeting. Board members discussed a draft county ordinance that would route county highway closure/review decisions through the traffic safety commission, chaired by the highway commissioner with the county administrator as a member; that draft would require the commission to review safety after any fatality or complaint and recommend signage or road improvements to the highway committee.

A procedural vote earlier in the meeting on limiting a visiting presenter to three minutes drew disagreement and ultimately failed. The motion to limit the presenter to three minutes (moved by Supervisor Posdowski) failed by voice vote; the clerk recorded the tally as 2 yes, 16 no.

Speakers and staff said consistency among neighboring counties would make maps and enforcement easier for riders and deputies alike. York reported efforts to distribute official Adams County route maps to machine manufacturers so on-board navigation would reflect local route rules, though the sheriff noted technical limits to that integration.

Proponents urged supervisors to consider economic benefits from tourism, while opponents and some board members emphasized road conditions and public-safety trade-offs. Several supervisors said any final decision should include targeted safety reviews, consistent signage and ongoing oversight by the traffic safety commission.

The committee adjourned without a policy vote; supervisors later adopted a separate resolution authorizing participation in the state motorized recreation grant program, which may fund trail and route work (see “Votes at a glance”).