A. It is a misdemeanor for any person to operate a snowmobile within the right of way of any trunk, county state aid, county highway, or other street or roadway within the city, except as hereinafter permitted.
B. No person shall operate a snowmobile upon the roadway, shoulder, or inside bank or slope of any trunk, county state aid, or county highway in this state and, in the case of a divided trunk or county highway, on the right of way between the opposing lanes of traffic, except as provided in this chapter. No snowmobile shall be operated at any time within the right of way of any interstate highway or freeway within the city.
C. No person shall operate a snowmobile on the portion of any right of way of any street that is not an interstate, trunk, county state aid or county highway, except in single file, on the most right hand lane when available for traffic or as close as practical to the right hand curb or edge of the roadway, except when passing another vehicle stopped in that lane.
D. A snowmobile may make a direct crossing of a street or highway at any hour of the day:
1. If the crossing is made at an angle of approximately ninety degrees (90°) to the direction of the highway and at a place where no obstruction prevents a quick and safe crossing; and
2. If the snowmobile is brought to a complete stop before crossing the shoulder or main traveled way of the highway; and
3. If the operator yields the right of way to all oncoming traffic and pedestrians which constitute an immediate hazard; and
4. If, in crossing a divided highway, the crossing is made only at an intersection of such highway with another public street or highway; and
5. If the crossing is made between the hours of one-half (1/2) hour after sunset to one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise or in conditions of reduced visibility, only if both front and rear lights are on.
6. A snowmobile may be operated upon a bridge, other than a bridge that is part of the main traveled lanes of an interstate highway, when required for the purpose of avoiding obstructions to travel when no other method of avoidance is possible; provided the snowmobile is operated in the extreme right hand lane, the entrance to the roadway is made within one hundred feet (100') of the bridge and the crossing is made without undue delay. (Ord. 541, 12-19-1994)
E. Notwithstanding any prohibition in this chapter, a snowmobile may be operated on a public arterial in an emergency during the period of time when and at locations where snow upon the roadway renders travel by automobile impractical. (Ord. 541, 12-19-1994; amd. Ord. 866, sec. 2, 5-17-2010)
F. No snowmobile shall be operated on streets or highways at a speed exceeding fifteen (15) miles per hour. (Ord. 621, sec. 1, 11-17-1997)
G. Nothing in this section or Minnesota statutes chapter 169 shall prohibit the use of snowmobiles within the right of way of any public arterial or upon public lands or waters under the jurisdiction of the commissioner of natural resources, in any organized contest, subject to the issuance of a permit by the city council. (Ord. 541, 12-19-1994; amd. Ord. 866, sec. 2, 5-17-2010)
H. Snowmobiles may only be operated on streets or highways between December 1 and March 31. (Ord. 621, sec. 2, 11-17-1997)
I. No person shall operate a snowmobile on any street, county road, or highway, or abutting shoulder or ditch in the designated "no snowmobiling" zone depicted on the map identified as exhibit "A" in this section.
(Ord. 661, 11-1-1999)