Head offATV-auto collisions

The hills are alive with the sound of all-terrain-vehicles.

As spring quickly rushes into a short Alaska summer, those who like to experience the outdoors with a little power under their Levis emerge from hibernation. With local schools out for the summer, the shoulders of local roadways again double as ATV trails for young riders. It’s also that time of year when debate heats up about how to balance the fun-loving appreciation for the outdoors and personal freedom with an area that continues to grow and and still shares road space with ATVs.

For Wasilla, city automobile traffic and ATV riders are on a collision course. Palmer and Anchorage have already enacted laws that prohibit operating ATVs unless in areas designated for that use. Wasilla continues to cling to its past, one where it was no big deal for 13-year-old Johnny to hop on his ATV in the middle of the day for a trip to the store. As local police continue to receive reports of unsafe encounters between automobiles and ATVs, it’s only a matter of time before a tragic accident happens.

“This isn’t the sleepy little hamlet you’re putting around to the store like you did 15 years ago. It’s not a matter of if [an accident] will happen, but when,” said Mike Rager, code compliance officer for the Wasilla Police Department.

Unfortunately, we believe Rager’s prediction will be all too true and at some time in the not-so-distant future we’ll be covering a senseless fatal accident between a car and an ATV. After that, we’re sure there will be plenty of public outcry for change, to follow Anchorage and Palmer in curtailing ATV riding throughout the city.

Why wait?

While we certainly appreciate the appeal of ATVs, especially for young people who aren’t old enough to get a state driver license, there’s a more immediate safety concern to which we all should pay attention. It’s time Wasilla City Council considers options to make city roadways more safe for all. Many of the city’s busiest roads — especially Knik-Goose Bay Road and Wasilla-Fishhook Road — are overloaded as it is. Add shoulder traffic of ATV riders who many times don’t follow the same rules of the road as drivers and the table is set for dangerous car-ATV altercations.

Korey Cronquist, owner/manager of Team CC in Wasilla, believes the city and community can work together to create ATV corridors that will help separate ATV riders from automobile traffic. Although we question the economics of building such corridors, finding a safe place for ATV use in the city has merit.

When area teenagers continued to clash with the business community and law enforcement over where to skateboard, the Wasilla Skate Park was created. There could be a sensible option for Wasilla to limit ATV traffic and make the roads safer. Other communities have developed ATV plans. It’s a solution worth pursuing.