Tracadie the latest community to allow ATVs on streets

ATVsare allowed on certain streets in Tracadie starting Saturdayand the New Brunswick ATVFederation hopes it paves the way for more communities to do the same.

"We're trying to make a provincewide provincial trail, which means we're trying to connect all the towns, all our clubs together,and basically be able to take vacation," saidRoger Daigle, federation president.

ATV drivers are often limited to the province's trail system, which can make it difficult to get through a town.

In Tracadie, drivers will have to follow the normal rules of the road.

They'll have to follow existing traffic patterns and keep to the right. Like someone driving a motorcycle, they will have to use hand signals to communicate with other drivers.

Growing trend

Tracadie isn't the first community to allow ATVs on its roads. Bathurststarted doing it in 2019.

Luc Foulem, the spokesperson for Bathurst, saidit's beengoing well.

"It's an added bonus, it's an added incentive for people to come into town,so you do get increased traffic," said Foulem.

Foulem said the city hasn't gotten the numbers back yet, buthe believes there has been a spike in people coming through the community.

Daigle saidit's a big victory for the federation when a new town allows ATVs access to roads, but his eyes are on the road ahead.

He said Edmundston was one of the first to open up its roads over a year ago.

Other communities that allow ATVs on some streets include Blackville, Sussex, Shippagan, Miramichi, Dalhousie, Sackville,according to Daigle. There are others as well.

More communities planning to follow suit

More communities are planning to open their streets, Daigle said.

"New Brunswick is just on the verge of being one of those places, one of those destinations, where [ATVs are] going to be a big part of tourism," said Daigle.

He wants to see Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton allow ATVs on some of their roads as well.