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LISBON — Lisbon Town Councilors will consider new rules that would open up more ATV access to public roads.

The ordinance would designate specific portions of roads that riders can use to access Lisbon’s trail system. Access routes would be open from June through the end of October, from sunrise to sunset. The ordinance states the vehicles are to stay to the extreme right of traffic and follow the posted ATV speed limit of 10 MPH.

Police Chief Marc Hagan cited some concerns when reviewing the proposed increase in ATV access.

“The Route 196 corridor through Lisbon is clearly a heavily traveled roadway and to allow the addition of all-terrain vehicles onto or adjacent to this area of the public roadway seems inadvisable,” Hagan wrote in a memo to Town Manager Diane Barnes. Hagan said he was worried about the potential dangers of adding ATV traffic on portions of Route 196, a road that sees about 14,000 vehicles daily, according to 2017 Maine Department of Transportation traffic counts. He also cited concerns with the proposed access to Village Street, as the Village Street-Route 196 area sees about 12,000 to 14,000 vehicles daily and where parking is allowed on both sides of the street, leaving the potential for narrow travel lanes.

The department investigated 80 crashes on Route 196 in 2018. While not all have happened in areas of the proposed ATV traffic, police records show about 30 have occurred in those areas. Another concern from police was allowing ATV traffic on narrow roads. He also noted concerns with Ferry road, saying the sharp turns and narrow shoulder wouldn’t allow for safe ATV travel.

“There was also concern raised with regard to the potential increase in calls for service from motorists, and residents along the Pinewoods, Ferry, and Hudon roads with regard to noise and erratic operation complaints that will fall upon the police department to address,” said Hagan.

The council approved amendments to the existing ATV ordinance in August, with the most notable change allowing ATV riders to come off the trails and use a portion of Wing Street to access Route 9 to the Route 196 intersection. The access extends to the area around Subway on Route 196.

The Lisbon Town Council meets at the Lisbon Town Office at 6:30 p.m.

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