Middleton City Council Votes Against Proposed Snowmobile Trail

Snowmobilers hoped their plan for a new path in Middleton would gain traction, but on Tuesday night the Middleton City Council voted against the proposed trail.

It appears neighbors’ concerns about safety won out. The path would have crossed a walking trail in several spots, shared a tunnel and cut across sidewalks and streets, ending right outside Quaker Steak and Lube.

Riders said they used to have access to the area, but after land ownership changed, they lost it. They had hoped to restore the trail, once again providing access to area hotels and dining.

“We get a lot of people asking us where they can stay in this area and snowmobile, and there really isn’t anywhere right now. So that’s kind of where this all came from,” said Jamie Dahlk, of the Cross Plains Riders Club.

At a council meeting Tuesday, some argued there was too high a correlation between snowmobile crashes and alcohol. They were also concerned about high traffic in Middleton compared to other areas.

“I know snowmobiles are sometimes allowed in other cities. I know they’re allowed in Cross Plains, but they don’t have the kind of traffic flow that we have, and the population density that we have here in a city,” said Cindy Kellor, who opposes the trail.

In the end, the council agreed with Kellor, voting against the proposal 4-3.