Lake Tomahawk board chooses not to act on ATV/UTV request for Hwy. 47

On July 12, the Lake Tomahawk town board decided not to act on a request made by Lake Tomahawk ATV/UTV club president Tom Kettler to open State Highway 47 to all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and utility task vehicle (UTV) use through downtown. 

The town board did, however, oblige Kettler’s request to open Highway D from Bluebird to Rainbow roads, still leaving closed the stretch from Bluebird Road to Hwy. 47. 

Kettler said opening Hwy. 47 “would allow for a more safe accessible route for ATV/UTVs to all businesses especially Lakeland Lumber, Meat Market, Kreager Insurance and BP.”

However, the board did not see a  need to make a change as all of those businesses can be accessed from all of the town roads already opened for use. 

Kettler indicated not having to cross Hwy. 47 would be safer.

“It’s been three years since the town board has approved ATV/UTV access on our roads, there has been only a couple minor issues during this time they were quickly addressed and corrected,” Kettler said, while reading from a statement he prepared prior to the meeting. “With the town ordinances in place, my continued efforts patrolling and support from our club with educating the public with Facebook maps and now our website, I truly believe the opening of Hwy. 47 in our town would only improved safety and not have a negative impact.”

One resident asked the board if the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) would need to be part of the process if the board wanted to approve opening Hwy. 47 for ATV and UTV use. 

Town chairman George DeMet said the DOT wouldn’t need to be involved because the speed limit for the portion of Hwy. 47 that runs through downtown has a speed limit of less than 35 miles per hour. 

“My issues would be that Hwy. 47 being a two-lane highway with parking on either side, and we already have issues at the intersections ... adding more traffic, I don’t know,” DeMet said. 

Kettler suggested the board consider opening up Hwy. 47 for a trial run of sorts. 

“I really don’t think it would do any kind of negative,” he said. “I really don’t. We’ve been on D both east and west.”

Hwy. D is a “whole different situation,” though, DeMet replied. 

Town supervisor Stephanie Sowatzka asked if a trial period is possible. 

DeMet said he wasn’t sure, and town supervisor Lenore Lopez said she thinks once it’s open for a trial period it would be hard to close it again if it didn’t work out.

“It’s gonna be very difficult to stop it if people start using it,” DeMet said. 

“It doesn’t seem necessary to me,” Lopez added.

“It doesn’t seem compelling, I guess would be the word,” DeMet said. “I’d like to sit on it for awhile anyhow and just kind of see how things go.”

With regard to opening  Hwy. D from Bluebird Road to Rainbow Road, but still leaving closed ATV/UTV access from Bluebird Road to Hwy. 47, the town board will take steps to amend its ordinance to do so.

“Well, the rest of D is open,” DeMet said. “I wouldn’t have as much problem with that one.”

Trevor Greene may be reached via email at [email protected].