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Snowmobile bylaw will regulate where you can sled in the city

Bans driving on sidewalks, promotes use of Sudbury Trail Plan
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Council approved Tuesday Greater Sudbury’s first citywide bylaw to regulate snowmobiles, banning them from driving on sidewalks and releasing a map outlining where sledders can legally drive. File photo.

Council approved Tuesday Greater Sudbury’s first citywide bylaw to regulate snowmobiles. 

In a news release, the city said the new rules separate snowmobiles from pedestrians by promoting access to the Sudbury Trail Plan through a network of secondary roads approved for snowmobile travel. 

“At the same time, the bylaw prohibits snowmobiles from travelling on sidewalks and all other municipal trails and properties that are not part of the Sudbury Trail Plan, except to cross,” the release said.

“Given the popularity of snowmobiling in our community, it’s important to have one consistent bylaw for the entire city so that snowmobile operators, motorists and pedestrians have a clear understanding of where and how these vehicles are permitted to travel,” Greater Sudbury bylaw coordinator Paul Denniston is quoted as saying in the release.

“The intent of the bylaw is to address pedestrian safety by prohibiting snowmobiles from travelling on sidewalks and other non-motorized municipal properties and to encourage use of authorized snowmobile trails by giving operators access to designated secondary roads in order to reach the trails.”

An alphabetical listing of roads where it's legal to drive your snow machine – and where you can't -- is available online at www.greatersudbury.ca/snowmobile and at citizen service centres in Capreol, Chelmsford, Dowling, Garson, Lively, Hanmer and Sudbury.

Snowmobiles are not permitted to travel on any municipal sidewalk, on the shoulder of any municipal road, on the boulevard of any municipal road, nor on any municipal land, unless the Sudbury Trail Plan Association maintains the boulevard or municipal property as a snowmobile trail and the operator holds a valid trail permit. Snowmobile operators are permitted to cross these areas at right angles.

To address noise concerns, snowmobiles can't operate between midnight and 6 a.m. in Greater Sudbury, unless travelling to a specific destination or for emergency purposes.

Speed limits are set under provincial legislation. The Ontario Motorized Snow Vehicles Act limits snowmobiles to a maximum speed of 20 km/h on roads where the speed limit is 50 km/h or less and 50 km/h on roads where the speed limit is more than 50 km/h.

“Greater Sudbury Police and Ontario Provincial Police will enforce the City of Greater Sudbury snowmobile bylaw,” the release said. “Snowmobile operators are expected to be familiar with provisions of the bylaw, including time of use and designated roads, and to follow the requirements of the Ontario Motorized Snow Vehicles Act.”

Residents who have questions about the snowmobile bylaw may call 311 or email [email protected] to speak with a Greater Sudbury bylaw compliance and enforcement officer.


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