All Terrain Vehicles

All Terrain Vehicles

All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) are an important form of both recreational and professional transportation. Oregon has hundreds of miles of scenic and safe trails for ATVs to recreate, and our rural communities hope to benefit from these opportunities. Currently, Oregon only permits operation of ATVs on public highways in very specific situations, such as to cross it at a 90 degree angle, unless the road authority permits greater access. A county board of commissioners could enable ATVs on their county roads through an ordinance, but should keep in mind the liability risk inherent.

Counties with ATV Ordinances

County ATV Ordinances_3-28-16

Douglas
Grant
Lake

These counties permit ATV access on some or all of their county roads. Please review each ordinance carefully prior to assuming any county road is open to ATVs.

In the 2017 Legislative Session, Senate Bill 344 – Use of All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) on highways was passed. The bill was effective January 1, 2018.

The bill requires snowmobiles and certain ATVs to cross a highway at an intersection or more than 100 feet from an intersection. The bill established the ATV Access Routes Advisory Committee and directed the Oregon Transportation Commission to designate ATV access routes throughout Oregon where persons may operate ATVs within a portion of the highway right of way. This law provides an exemption from vehicle equipment requirements if the vehicle operator is crossing a portion of a highway right of way designated as an ATV access route.

Under the bill, the operator is required to possess an Oregon driver license or permit and to wear a motorcycle helmet when operating on an ATV access route. SB 344 was developed through a State Parks and Recreation Department workgroup process that included ATV users, dealers, staff from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), and others established by SB 192 (2015).

Click here to access more information on ATV’s and to learn more about the ATV Advisory Committees from the Oregon Parks and Recreation ATV website.

The Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 192 in 2015, which required the Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation (OPRD) to convene a workgroup to assess ATV use on state highways and then report back to the State Legislature. This workgroup’s final report is now available here.

Final ReportSB192 Work Group

Issue Brief: Permitting the use of ATVs on County Roads – AOC Legal Counsel, Rob Bovett

ATVs on Roadways: A Safety Crisis – Consumers Federation of America

SB 192 Presentation – Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation

Contact

Brian Worley
855-843-5176 x701
bworley@oregoncounties.org