WILTON — The Wilton Police Department has made an initial response to the rise in complaints regarding ATV operation in and around the town of Wilton, and those specifically regarding the level of traffic on Temple Road.

Temple Road currently serves as an ATV access route for the town of Wilton and connects the Whistle Stop Trail and the Temple trail system, allowing ATV riders around Franklin County to travel freely between the trail systems.

The department made a post on its Facebook page, reminding ATV operators who utilize the access route about a few basic rules for Temple Road.

“ATVs operated on a paved public way are viewed as motor vehicles under Maine law,” the post states and list the following points:

• The ATV must have a current registration to be operated on the access route.

• The operator of the ATV must possess a valid driver’s license [not an ATV license] to operate on the access route.

• All motor vehicle laws regarding the manner of operation [i.e. speeding, etc.] must be followed.

The post goes on to state that the access route is a “privilege granted by the town which can be taken away” and to follow the rules in order to keep the access route available for everyone. The post also reminds ATV riders that the access route is closed off to ATVs if the trails are closed.

The post came as a response to the a Wilton Select Board meeting on Tuesday, May 7, where residents of Temple Road and Depot Street voiced their concerns regarding the level of traffic, noise, and other public safety concerns.

One resident of Temple Road stated the level of ATV activity on Temple Road during the summer has “ruined” her enjoyment of her home.

“A lot of the reasons I purchased my property was for the peace and quiet,” she said. “Unfortunately, our weekends from Memorial Day to Labor Day are filled with caravans of ATVs.”

The discussion came one year after the Select Board heard similar complaints regarding the ATV access route in May of 2023. The Select Board voted to keep the access route open for a duration of one year and revisit the issue.

After hearing comments for and against the access road at the meeting on May 7, the Select Board voted to keep the access route open, leaving many residents of Temple Road and Depot Street dissatisfied.

Wilton resident Nathan Hiltz specifically asked the Select Board if the police department had any policy regarding ATVs and if they have tried to address the issues experienced by the Temple Road residents. Chairperson Tiffany Maiuri stated to the public that neither she nor Town Manager Maria Greeley were aware of increased complaints to the police department regarding the access road.

Greeley followed by stating that she had not investigated the issue with Chief of Police Ethan Kyes in greater detail.

In a phone interview with Livermore Falls Advertiser, Kyes shared that he did notice an increase in the volume of complaints from 2022 to 2023. Based on his data, in 2022, the department received seven complaints that were found in violation of local and state laws. Three of these violations were not related to the access route, but the remaining four were related to the route.

In 2023, Kyes shared an increase in both numbers, with six non-access route violations, one dirt bike violation, and seven violations specifically regarding the access route, totally 14 violations.

Kyes also shared that his department will be meeting with a game warden later this month to receive training on ATV rules and statutes, and hopes to increase police activity on Temple Road during the hours the access route is open.

Many are in favor of the access route due to the level of commerce it brings to businesses along the trail system. Shelly Gervais, owner of Shelly’s Hometown Market, previously commented at the public hearing in May of 2023 on the impact the access route has had on local businesses.

“I feel that that trail has helped my business immensely,” Gervais said.

When it comes to the impact of the access route on the town, the Select Board was hesitant to outright eliminate the access route without heavy consideration. Kyes shared that he and his department are looking to better educate ATV riders to make sure they can still enjoy the access route while respecting the homeowners on Temple Road and Depot Street.

In talking with the Franklin County Sherriff’s Department, Sheriff Scott Nichols expressed a similar sentiment with The Franklin Journal.

“I know people are just out having a good time,” Nichols said, “but sometimes their good time interferes with other people’s lives, so I try to educate them.”

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