Ask a conservation officer

[Lee Borgersen]

Ask a Conservation Officer:

    Who sets speed limits for snowmobiles?

 
Q: Who has the jurisdiction to set the speed limit on a grant-in-aid trail within a city's boundary? The DNR or local government? The reason I ask this is the town I live in has a grant-in-aid trail that parallels several city streets. While the speed limit is 30 mph for a vehicle, snowmobiles are passing you on the trail at a greater speed and sometimes at very dangerous speeds and out of control. Thank you.


A: Regardless of who sets the speed limit, or even what the speed limit is, operating out of control or at dangerous speeds for conditions is illegal. Minnesota Statute 84.87 subdivision 2 states it is unlawful to operate a snowmobile at a rate of speed greater than reasonable or proper under all the surrounding circumstances or in a careless, reckless or negligent manner so as to endanger the person or property of another or to cause injury or damage thereto.

  ....
To answer the specific question as to who sets the speed limit, the state has set a speed limit of 50 mph unless operating in the ditch. The law then sets the speed limit at the same as the road the ditch runs along. The same statute defining careless operation I mentioned above and under subdivision 3, also gives political subdivisions the ability to regulate the operation of snowmobiles on public lands, waters and property under their jurisdiction. So in the case described here, if the trail is inside the town limits, the town can regulate the speed limit but would need to give proper notice and post signs.