Alaska State Troopers on the Kenai Peninsula are reporting an unusually high amount of complaints of ATVs riding on private property and along power lines.
Austin McDaniel, Public Information Officer with the Alaska State Troopers confirmed to KSRM:
“Troopers down there on the Peninsula are receiving an increase in reports of folks riding ATVs on private property or operating them in unsafe manners, whether that be on the roadway or in areas where they’re legally allowed to ride. So we’re encouraging folks to make sure they’re riding their ATV on their own property, on designated ATV trails across the Peninsula or along those right-of-ways that are along roadsides. If you do have to cross the roadway to make sure that you do that responsibly.”
When it comes to enforcement, McDaniel said:
“I will say that anytime you’re operating a vehicle, whether that be an ATV, a snowmachine, a car, a truck, that you need to be able to do that responsibly and not drive recklessly. That’s one of the big things that they’ll use to enforce anyone that’s driving recklessly with an ATV. The other piece is that folks have private property rights. They shouldn’t be operating an ATV on someone else’s private property if they don’t have permission to do so. Certainly make sure they’re making sure they are checking with the property owner before they drive their ATV or, even a vehicle or on foot or a bicycle on someone’s property without their permission. That could get into a trespassing issue.”
Alaska State Troopers encourage property owners to post ‘no trespassing’ signs, saying that the property owner has a right to fence off or block access to ATVs. Also, if trespass signs are torn down, the offender can be charged with criminal mischief as well as criminal trespass if they disregard the trespass sign and ride on private property.
Maps of the ATV trails can be found online at the Kenai Peninsula Borough’s website.