By Neil Johnson, reporter/anchor, Big Radio/WCLO Radio News

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The city of Milton plans to seek guidance from a neighboring city to decide whether to open up all Milton City streets as designated ATV and UTV routes.

Milton’s city council asked city staff on Monday night to research a move a few months ago by the city of Whitewater’s to permit UTVs and ATVs on all of Whitewater’s non-university streets.

Rock County earlier this year OK’d county roads being designated for UTV and ATV routes. Cities that wish to designate county roads within their own jurisdiction for ATV and UTV use must write their own ordinances.

James Bryk is a member of a new ATV-UTV riders club, Rock County Crawlers. His group asked the city of Milton to write an ordinance allowing all Milton streets to be designated as ATV-UTV routes. Among the main goals: to help keep local recreational dollars in Rock County.

It’s a move Bryk says local businesses have shown support for by donating money, food and prizes for the Crawlers’ fundraisers, which are aimed at raising cash to pay for all ATV-UTV route signs needed in Milton.

One Milton council member wondered about the cost of hanging ATV-UTV route signs on all city streets, but Bryk indicated that municipalities that allow such blanket routes normally only place signs on major county routes going in and out of municipalities. The signs would list hours people are allowed to ride ATVs and UTVs in town.

Bryk says his group is pursuing a blanket, citywide designation for ATV-UTV routes because it would allow anyone in city limits who can legally operate an ATV or UTV to reach major county recreational routes without restrictions.

“It becomes difficult to determine which roads you can and can’t use,” Bryk said. “Plus, the people that live on those (non-designated) roads, they may want to ride. Now they can’t leave their own house because they can’t drive 100 feet to get to a route.”

The neighboring towns of Lima and Johnstown are in the midst of considering their own UTV and ATV routes, Bryk says. He says the town of Harmony already has approved ATV-UTV routes and is readying signs to mark the routes and the rules.

Milton Police Chief Scott Marquardt tells the city he doesn’t have a stance on urban ATV-UTV routes, although he said he’s aware other municipalities have seen “quality of life” issues along designated ATV and UTV routes, including the potential for noise and extra traffic congestion.