VirginiaLocal governments could approve ATVs on some authority-area highways
Local governments could approve ATV use on certain highways in the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority area, with warning signs, approved helmets, and a 25-mile-per-hour limit.
What it does
Local governments could approve ATV use on certain highways in the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority area, subject to signs, helmet, speed, and road rules.
Argument forAllowing ATVs on approved highway stretches could help riders connect nearby trails, including the Pocahontas Trail in Buchanan County.
Argument againstATVs on public highways could add crash risks for riders and drivers, even with warning signs, helmets, and speed limits.
More detail
Local governing bodies could approve ATV use on certain highways. The provision covers all-terrain vehicles on approved highways in localities within the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority area. The text names the Pocahontas Trail on Bill Young Mountain and Virginia Route 635 in Buchanan County; other routes are unclear. Warning signs approved by the Virginia Department of Transportation must be posted. Riders must wear approved helmets, follow road rules and Southwest Regional Recreation Authority trail rules, and travel no faster than 25 miles per hour. Use is allowed only on highways approved by the local governing body. Permission is also required for use on Virginia Department of Corrections property. ATVs could travel only between sunrise and sunset. The proposal removes the printed limit of one mile between trails.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jul 21Continued from last sessionLatest
- Feb 3Continued to next session in Transportation (Voice Vote)
- Jan 28Subcommittee recommends continuing to (Voice Vote)
- Jan 28Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB302)
- Jan 19Assigned HTRAN sub: Highway Safety and PolicyMinor
- Jan 9Referred to Committee on TransportationMinor
- Jan 9Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102535DIntroduced
TransportationPublic Safety