All-terrain vehicle trail aid

All-terrain vehicle trail aid. (1) Distribution. The department shall distribute all-terrain vehicle project aids on the basis of a priority system according to the following priority ranked purposes; (a) Maintenance of existing approved all-terrain vehicle areas and trails, including routes; (b) Purchase of liability insurance; (c) Acquisition of land by easement, lease or other agreements for the use of land; (d) Major rehabilitation of bridge structures or trail segments; (e) Acquisition of land in fee and development of new all-terrain vehicle areas and trails, including routes. (2) Trail maintenance. The department may provide state aid for trail maintenance costs equal to the approved eligible project costs which may not exceed: (a) $100 per mile for winter maintenance. Trails eligible for winter maintenance shall be maintained and groomed for a total of not less than 2 months nor more than 6 months per year including the months of January and February. (b) $600 per mile for summer maintenance. Trails eligible for summer maintenance shall be maintained for a total of not less than 3 months nor more than 8 months per year including the months of June, July, and August. (2m) Maintenance of routes. The department may provide state aid up to 100 percent of the cost of the purchase of all-terrain vehicle route signs and arrows, trail crossing warning signs, and signs briefly explaining the intoxicated all-terrain vehicle operator law. All-terrain vehicle routes, whether a part of an approved all-terrain vehicle trail or not, are not eligible for per mile maintenance payments under sub. (2) . (2r) Maintenance funding of hybrid trails (“troutes”). (a) Hybrid trails existing before August 1, 2012. The department may provide state aid of up to 100 percent of the per-mile rate listed in sub. (2) . Any hybrid trail that received funding under this chapter prior to August 1, 2012, and is posted with signs as a hybrid trail, shall continue to be eligible to receive the per-mile maintenance reimbursement rate under sub. (2) (a) or sub. (2) (b) or both. Any hybrid trail that received funding under this chapter prior to August 1, 2012, and is posted with signs as a hybrid trails, shall be eligible for rehabilitation costs of up to 100 percent of costs. (b) Hybrid trails existing on August 1, 2012 or later. All hybrid trails developed on August 1, 2012 or later, shall be posted with signs as hybrid trails and are eligible for funding under this chapter as follows: 1. For eligible applicants not receiving gas tax for a road on which all-terrain vehicles or utility terrain vehicles will also be traveling, not more than 50 percent of the per-mile rate as identified in sub. (2) 2. For eligible applicants receiving gas tax for a road on which all-terrain vehicles or utility terrain vehicles will also be traveling, the per-mile rate identified in sub. (2) minus the gas tax received, not to exceed 50 percent of rate in sub. (2) . (3) Area maintenance. The department may provide state aid for maintenance of an all-terrain vehicle area equal to 50 percent of the approved eligible project costs to maintain the all-terrain vehicle area. Sponsors receiving maintenance aid for all-terrain vehicle areas from the motorcycle recreation program are not eligible for maintenance aid under the all-terrain vehicle aids program. (4) Proration. Should funds not be sufficient to satisfy the total request for a priority ranked purpose, i.e., either maintenance, insurance, or land acquisition, the funds shall be distributed to sponsors on a proportional basis for that purpose. (5) Acquisition. (a) Eligibility. Any town, village, city, county, or state or federal agency may receive aids to purchase lands or secure easements, leases, permits or other appropriate agreements, written or oral, permitting use of private property for public all-terrain vehicle trails, facilities and areas. (b) Fee simple. The cost of purchasing land in fee simple for all-terrain vehicles shall be based on the appraised value of the land. (c) Easement or lease. For trail purposes, the width of the all-terrain vehicle right-of-way may not exceed one rod. The easement or lease shall contain, at a minimum, the right to sign, right of limited construction, right to maintain, right of use by all-terrain vehicles or utility terrain vehicles and necessary trail grooming equipment. Cost sharing is limited to the minimum land area necessary for the all-terrain vehicle trail. 1. All local units of government, state and federal agencies shall certify to the department that easements, leases, permits, or other appropriate agreements secured grant public access and use of the land for all-terrain vehicles or utility terrain vehicles. The local units, state or federal agencies shall maintain a current file of all easements, leases or permits which include the name of the property owner, description of the property, duration of the lease, easement or permit, and amount to be paid for the lease, easement or permit. 2. The department may provide aid to pay $.10 cents per rod for easements or leases for an all-terrain vehicle trail. 3. The cost of leasing land for all-terrain vehicles or utility terrain vehicles other than trail right-of-ways shall be based on the appraised value of the easement. (6) Development. (a) Development shall begin within one year of the date land is acquired. (b) All-terrain vehicle trail shall meet the following design requirements and specifications: 1. The minimum cleared width for one way trails is 6 feet and the maximum is 8 feet. 2. The minimum cleared width for two way trails is 10 feet and the maximum is 12 feet. 3. A height of 8 feet above the trail shall be cleared. 4. All-terrain vehicle trails may not be routed over bodies of water. If stream crossings make bridging necessary, bridges shall be at least 8 feet wide clear of obstruction. If the bridge is located on an abandoned railroad grade, the bridge width shall be at least 10 feet clear of obstruction. The department shall determine the need for bridging or if fords or ice crossings may be used. 5. Trails shall not be routed through wilderness areas, game preserves, winter browse areas, experimental stations, nurseries, or plantations. (c) Signs for use on all-terrain vehicle trails shall have the same specifications as those under s. NR 50.09 (4) (c) 3. b. with the following additions: 1. Purpose: To delineate when the trail is available for all-terrain vehicle or utility terrain vehicle use during the year. 2. The all-terrain vehicle symbol for permissive and restrictive signs shall be the same as under subd. 1. (d) The department shall distribute aids for all-terrain vehicle area and trail development projects, including routes, considering the following criteria: 1. All-terrain vehicle routes, areas and trails in counties where routes, areas, and trails are in short supply in comparison to demand. 2. All-terrain vehicle routes and trails that provide connecting loops or origin-destination segments over dead end segments. 3. All-terrain vehicle routes or trails that provide connections from one jurisdiction to another. 4. All-terrain vehicle routes and trails that have potential for year round use. 5. All-terrain vehicle routes, areas, trails, and bridges to be developed on publicly owned land or private land under a written easement, lease, permit, or other agreements for a minimum of 3 years or greater. The length of any easement, lease, permit or other agreement for the placement of a bridge on private land that is either developed or rehabilitated with funds under this chapter shall be for a period of at least 3 years if the total cost of the bridge is $50,000 or less. Any easement, lease, permit or other agreement for the placement of a bridge on private land that is either developed or rehabilitated shall be in writing. The length of any easement, lease, permit, or other agreement may be a factor in determining the amount of funds awarded under this chapter. (7) Maintenance. Local units of government and state or federal agencies shall be required to maintain all-terrain vehicle areas and trails developed on land receiving aids for acquisition or development. (8) Major rehabilitation. (a) Any town, village, city, county, or state or federal agency may receive aids for up to 100 percent of eligible costs for the major rehabilitation of bridge structures or trail segments requiring significant improvements or repair. (b) For bridge rehabilitation projects that involve total deck replacement, the deck shall be reconstructed to be at least 8 feet wide and free from obstruction. (c) When a bridge rehabilitation project is located on an abandoned railroad grade and involves total deck replacement, the deck shall be reconstructed to be at least 10 feet wide and free from obstruction.