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"Seasonal Roads"

4K views 39 replies 20 participants last post by  DUNTRUCKIN 
#1 ·
I was wondering what the rules and regulations are about driving down michigans "Seasonal Roads". Can we drive down these no matter their condition or does the 2wd car rule apply? I was up north recently snowmobiling and noticed a lot of seasonal roads which looked like they would be good to run the jeep on. Also does anyone have any good maps of seasonal roads in the LP?
 
#9 · (Edited)
From: http://www.legislature.mi.gov

Section 247.655a linkable
printable


STATE TRUNK LINE HIGHWAY SYSTEM (EXCERPT)
Act 51 of 1951

247.655a Seasonal county road system.

Sec. 5a.

(1) The board of county road commissioners of each county may establish a system of seasonal county roads, which may be part of either the county primary road system, the county local road system, or both systems. A board of county road commissioners in establishing a system of seasonal county roads, may declare a road under the jurisdiction of the board to not be open to public travel during the months of November through April, which road shall then not be open to public travel.

(2) The seasonal county road system shall include any road under the jurisdiction of the board of county road commissioners which that board determines shall not be open to public travel each year for a period of less than 12 months. The system of seasonal county roads shall be selected on the basis of seasonal use of the roads and in accordance with rules promulgated by the state transportation department. A board of county road commissioners may include or exclude roads in the seasonal county road system upon adoption of a proper resolution but only after holding a public hearing. Notice of the public hearing shall be given to the clerk of the county and of each city, village, or township in which the roads are situated and published at least twice in a newspaper of general circulation in that county, the first notice to be not less than 30 days before the hearing and the second notice not less than 7 days before the hearing. The notice shall contain the date, time, and place of the hearing and shall describe in general terms the action proposed to be taken by the board, the roads to be affected, and the period of time that the roads shall not be open to public travel. The business which the board may perform at the public hearing shall be conducted at a hearing held in compliance with Act No. 267 of the Public Acts of 1976, as amended, being sections 15.261 to 15.275 of the Michigan Compiled Laws. In addition to the other notices required by this subsection, public notice of the time, date, and place of the hearing shall be given in the manner required by Act No. 267 of the Public Acts of 1976, as amended. If at the hearing an objection is made to the designation of a road as a part of the seasonal county road system by a person occupying a structure located upon or along the road as the person's principal residence, the commissioners shall not designate that road as a part of the seasonal county road system unless the commissioners provide that person with immediate access to a road which is not a part of the seasonal county road system.

(3) Within 30 days after final adoption of a resolution establishing a seasonal county road system, the board of county road commissioners shall file with the state transportation department and each city, village, or township in which the roads are situated a full record of its determination.

(4) The designation of a road as part of the seasonal county road system shall not affect the certification of the road under this act, but if the road is not open to public travel during the months of December to April, the road shall be excluded for purposes of the distribution of snow removal funds under section 12a.

(5) A road included as part of the seasonal county road system shall be excluded for the purposes of determining the distribution of funds under sections 12(4) and 12b for each year in which the road is part of the seasonal county road system.

(6) A map shall be maintained and on display in the office of each board of county road commissioners which has established a seasonal county roads system which shall also inform the public of the dates the road or road shall not open to public travel.

(7) The board shall place and maintain signs on all roads designated as seasonal county roads, which signs shall describe the roads as seasonal county roads.


History: Add. 1981, Act 184, Imd. Eff. Dec. 23, 1981
Compiler's Notes: In the last sentence of subsection (2), the word “system” at the end of the sentence should evidently read “system.”
Popular Name: McNitt Act
Popular Name: Michigan Transportation Fund Act
Admin Rule: R 247.651 et seq. of the Michigan Administrative Code.


Every road needs to be treated on a case-by-case basis.
It depends on HOW the local County Road Commission has dedicated it.
Some are CLOSED to vehicular traffic, some are just 'unmaintained' for the winter.

IF a Seasonal Road is also a snowmobile route, I'd let the sleds have their fun. We get to use them 9 months of the year. I don't see any benefit from getting anyone ticked off over a few roads for a couple months. IF it's NOT a snowmobile route AND it's not closed to traffic (legally, by the CRC) then HAVE FUN!
 
#16 · (Edited)
So it is my responsibility to go to the county office to check out if a road is closed or not? Why don't they just post it if it is closed?
Afraid so. Just like it's our responsibility to know who's land we're on at all times. A polite phone call is usually all that's needed to find out, but it's technically our job to make the trip if they're dinks.

Up in this area, the seasonal roads are just posted that they are not maintained by the road commission. I've never seen one that has been posted as closed because of the snow..
I don't think they sign them as closed. It's in how the CRC applies the designation. I've NEVER had an issue, and didn't know about it until just a few months ago, when I was reading the law I posted. I don't think it's enforced much, but better safe than sorry - or forewarned is forearmed, or something like that. :tonka:

I have never noticed any of them to say they are open to snowmobiles or anything like that either. Seems they are always the same signage.
Snowmobile Routes aren't signed by the CRC. They'll be designated with 'red diamond' confidence markers. The CRC will just have a Seasonal Road sign.

All of this information has been pretty helpful. I guess the best thing to do is to just contact the county and ask. Btw thanks Trail_Fanatic for the link.
:thumb:

Always glad to help when I can . . .

Especially when it might result in another person watching their little part of the world for the benefit of the unimproved roads. I just might want to drive it some day!

Or maybe my great-grand kids will?

Keep us posted!
 
#13 ·
Not much help from county websites:

"Seasonal Road Policy
The Ogemaw County Road Commission does not provide winter maintenance on seasonal roads from November 1st through April 30th. If you would like more information regarding seasonal roads you may contact the Road Commission."

(Montmorency County)
"We do not necessarily plow all County Roads. Some are too narrow, too steep or don't have a place to turn around. In most cases, school buses will only go on plowed county roads, so check with us before you buy or build a house if you are not sure."
 
#15 · (Edited)
It pays to check the maps and know the local road system well too.
My area has some unimproved roads that are NOT designated as Seasonal Roads. They still don't receive blading in winter (or summer) but that removes any doubt that these are open to travel at all times of year.

I'm learning that not all CRCs agree on the maintenance standards of various road designations.

I'm a HUGE fan of getting an official "Unimproved Road" designation that helps both the CRCs and those of us who prefer driving 'rustic' roads (the more rustic the better!). It's not currently an 'official' classification, although it is a widely used term with CRCs.

My thought process is:
The CRC's would save a ton on maintenance. They wouldn't have to spend money on blading because it wouldn't be required. Only culvert/ bridge work of a minimum 'tonnage' capacity for light duty vehicular traffic (like the little one lane concrete or wood bridges) and tree removal. That way they still get to Certify them and collect funding from their presence; we get the reassurance that those roads won't see major improvement while the designation is in place.


We're always looking for help monitoring CRCs.
Sometimes we find illegal road obstructions that the CRC will remove - keeping our back roads open. Sometimes the CRCs receive a Petition for Abandonment from local land owners. GLFWDA and the Two Trackers have both saved several roads from official abandonment in '07. They lack enough volunteers for complete State-wide coverage at this time. If you'd like to assist with a county or area, contact landuse@glfwda.org

To report an illegal obstruction, you need to verify that the road in question IS currently claimed by the CRC. Once claim is established, report away. Preferably in writing, mailed with a signature required for delivery. Then Keep an eye on the obstruction - and the paper. Either the obstruction will disappear, or a Notice of Petition for Abandonment will appear in the local paper of notice. You might get the CRC to keep you posted of its status, but you're probably better off checking with them often, or attending their meetings.
 
#17 ·
It pays to check the maps and know the local road system well too.
My area has some unimproved roads that are NOT designated as Seasonal Roads. They still don't receive blading in winter (or summer) but that removes any doubt that these are open to travel at all times of year.
Pat, It's my understanding that unless the county does 'some' maintenance on a road they can not apply for federal funding monies. That's where seasonal road designation comes in. The 'unimproved' road designation is not one I familiar with . What status does this bring with it? Is it a road that the county does not claim for funding but yet does not want to proceed with abandonment proceedings?

As far as utilizing seasonal roads in the winter. Other than the caveat that Pat brought up with a 'marked' groomed snowmobile, their fair game for use by wheeled vehicles in the winter and the 2WD rule does NOT apply. GLFWDA has a letter from the DNR that was printed in the Boondocker a few years back that I'm still trying to get a hold of (HINT, HINT, HINT, you know who you are!!!!!!!!) so we can reprint it and users will better understand the rules.

jim-kb8ymf
 
#25 ·
Local Law trumps Federal Law IF local law is more restrictive then Federal law.

At least thats how it is with Marijuana, It can be legalized locally, but federal law stating it is illegal still makes it illegal. So you may not get in trouble with a local cop, but the FBI may still nail you.

If you took that logic to the 2wd/4wd deal I would say local law is now harsher then federal law, so local law is what is enforced.
 
#29 · (Edited)
Carla is going to write a formal Legal Opinion on the matter to try to shed more light on it. We were hoping to have this by the start of December, but she's a little behind because of other projects with more 'definite' time lines (like the Moab and Tellico comment periods).

We'll post up the results as soon as we get 'em. :thumb:
 
#30 ·
Carla is going to write a formal Legal Opinion on the matter to try to shed more light on it. We were hoping to have this by the start of December, but she's a little behind because of other projects with more 'definite' time lines (like the Moab and Tellico comment periods).

We'll post up the results as soon as we get 'em.

Cool! This sounds good guys.
 
#31 ·
I should have mentioned that it was her 'verbal' opinion that the 2WD clause does NOT apply to Federal Land.

Needless to say, we're anxiously awaiting her formal opinion.
 
#33 ·
I know nothing until I hear from her.
Who knows, after reviewing the facts, she might find the other way.

I'm just 'anxiously waiting' for the result.

A Fwd to the AG is a great idea and only takes a couple of 'clicks' to accomplish.

:thumb:
 
#34 ·
To bring this back up, I was questioning this last weekend while I was out running some roads in the Allegan area. One seasonal road in particular, has a marked snowmobile trail that runs next to it. It is either a power line or gas line. I have been driving that road for years in the wintertime and there has usually been tracks before me. We got a lot of snow in a short time and the sleds were using the road as the trail in addition to the normal trail. I got some dirty looks from some snowmobilers. I always try to be courteous to them, as I am one and know how it feels to have trails messed up by 4x4s.
 
#36 ·
I know this will piss of snowmobilers, but they get something like 90% of the trail system, we get less then 17%. If you were in a spot you can legally be in go for it :thumb: I wish I could find the booklet that had percentage breakout of the trail divisions.

I used to ride snowmobiles but between the idiots going 60+ down the trails and all the accidents I was seeing, I stick to private land now, if I get it out at all.
 
#35 ·
Like I said in an earlier post, the roads up here are just posted "Seasonal Road" and under that it says that the road is not maintained in the winter. Never had I seen one closed or marked for sled use only. Alot of people have seasonal cabins on these roads and they are traveled on all the time.... The last time we went trail riding a grand am passed us on the "seasonal road" Its kinda like enter at your own risk type thing....
 
#38 ·
The snowmobiler's have had preferential treatment since the 70's and seem to think their registration gets them exclusivity or something. What's that ORV sticker, chopped liver? As lame as they demand their trails all groomed and pretty like, I wonder why they don't just ride in the Olds?
 
#40 ·
The next time we go out for a ride I will take a pic of the road sign that is posted on the seasonal roads and put it in this post just so everyone can see what they look like up here, dont know if they are different in other counties or not but it may help a little...
 
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