ATV use approved for certain Pierce County roads, including Fairfax

ATVs can start being on these roads on Jan. 1, 2019.

December 27, 2018 10:30 am
Wheeled all-terrain vehicles will be allowed on approximately 52 miles of roadway in East Pierce County. A map of the approved routes is available at www.piercecountywa.gov/watv. Additional roads may be added over time. Image courtesy Pierce County.
Wheeled all-terrain vehicles will be allowed on approximately 52 miles of roadway in East Pierce County. A map of the approved routes is available at www.piercecountywa.gov/watv. Additional roads may be added over time. Image courtesy Pierce County.

Wheeled all-terrain vehicles will be allowed on select roads, including one south of Carbonado, beginning next week.

An ordinance changing the rules was passed by the Pierce County Council in September, approved by County Executive Bruce Dammeier in October and takes effect Jan. 1.

County leadership took the action to support economic development, encourage tourism and enhance recreational opportunities.

“We are excited to see this pilot project for street-legal wheeled all-terrain vehicles open up for outdoor enthusiasts,” Councilman Jim McCune said. “If all goes well, we hope to see it expand to other parts of the county.”

Wheeled all-terrain vehicles will be allowed on approximately 52 miles of roadway in East Pierce county. The only one near the Plateau is a 7.7-mile stretch of Fairfax Forest Reserve Road East. It is a paved, two-lane arterial roadway with a posted speed limit of 35 miles per hour.

The road, which will now be OK for wheeled ATVs, branches off state Route 165 and terminates at the Mount Rainier National Park border.

Other Pierce County roads included in the plan are found in the Kapowsin Lake area and extend west toward the small town of Roy. A map of the approved routes is available at www.piercecountywa.gov/watv.

Vehicles must have both off-road and on-road wheeled ATV licenses to operate on the identified Pierce County roads. Visit the Washington State Department of Licensing website for information on these licenses and descriptions of approved vehicles.

Motorists driving wheeled ATVs must follow the posted speed limit and follow all applicable traffic laws.

The public is invited to submit feedback on the use of wheeled ATVs on Pierce County roads at www.piercecountywa.gov/watv or pctraffic@piercecountywa.gov.