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Parks commission urges town and village to ban motorized vehicles on Wawarsing rail trail
Summary
The Wawarsing Parks Commission voted to recommend municipal laws prohibiting unauthorized motor vehicle use on the rail trail and discussed remaining work on the trail — including a downed tree on Department of Corrections property and unfinished signage and fencing — that must be coordinated with town officials and the DOC.
The Wawarsing Parks Commission voted to recommend that the town and village adopt municipal laws prohibiting unauthorized motor vehicle use on the rail trail, after members described recurring motor-vehicle damage and cited Rochester’s municipal law and posted $250 fine as an example.
The resolution, moved and seconded during the commission’s meeting and approved without recorded opposition, directs town and village attorneys to review model language and consider a formal municipal ordinance or resolution to discourage motorized access. Chair (meeting facilitator) put the motion and the commission adopted it following brief discussion about enforcement and signage.
Hank, who inspected a downed tree along the trail, told the commission the tree is on Department of Corrections property and that the DOC has not formally opened that section to the public. “It’s definitely on prison property … it could be cut easily,” he said, urging the group to coordinate with the prison before removing the tree. Members agreed outreach should go through established contacts; Hank suggested Supervisor Haug or others with prison contacts to facilitate the conversation.
Commission members also reviewed unfinished work on the trail that prevents an official public opening of that segment. According to Hank, the town obtained an easement from the DOC and completed much of the construction, but “there’s a short stretch that needs to be done, and some signs need to be installed and a crosswalk painted,” and some fencing is still required around wellheads. He said the county provided a matching grant of roughly $60,000 in earlier phases and that about half the reimbursable work was claimed before work stalled and remaining funds were reallocated.
Members discussed practical deterrents in addition to ordinances, including restoring bollards and installing clear “no motor vehicles” signage at trailheads. A parks department representative noted Rochester’s approach — signs and a municipal fine — had reduced motorized use without frequent prosecution. The commission approved a resolution to recommend the town and village consider municipal laws prohibiting unauthorized motor-vehicle use and asked staff to bring draft language to the town and village attorneys for review.
Next steps: the commission asked staff to contact DOC officials about the downed tree and maintenance responsibilities, confirm what signage has already been purchased, and confer with town and village attorneys on drafting a recommendation for municipal action. The commission recorded the vote in favor of the resolution and closed discussion on the item.
