Left Right
Purpose: Barrier markers are used in pairs to indicate a barrier or gate that restricts entry to a trail or road for snowmobiling. The stripes of each sign face inward and toward the center of the trail or road.
Minimum size: 6 inches by 12 inches
Color: Alternate red and white 45 degree diagonal stripes.
GUIDE SIGN
Purpose: Directs snowmobile operator to a destination.
Size: Variable - 2 inch Upper case letters
Colors: Brown background with reflective white letters and legend.
INFORMATION SIGNS
Purpose: Furnish information about trails or facilities.
Size: Variable - 2 inch Upper case letters.
Color: Brown background with white letters.
SPECIAL SIGN - CORRIDOR MARKER
Purpose: To indicate that the trail is part of the designated state corridor trail system.
Minimum size: 6 inches by 6 inches
Color: Blue background with reflective white border, shield and letters.
NR 50.09(4)(c)3.c.
c. Federal forest service sign specifications may be used on federal forest service lands.
NR 50.09(4)(d)1.1. Counties shall be required to groom and maintain snowmobile trails developed on lands receiving aids for acquisition and/or development.
NR 50.09(4)(d)2.
2. Trails shall be groomed to a minimum width of 4 feet for one-way and 8 feet for 2-way trails. Maximum width for a 2-way trail to be groomed shall be 12 feet unless the amount of snowmobile traffic and safety warrant grooming to a greater width as approved by the department.
NR 50.09(4)(e)1.1. For bridge rehabilitation projects that involve total deck replacement, the deck shall be reconstructed to a width of at least 8 feet, free from obstruction.
NR 50.09(4)(e)2.
2. When a bridge rehabilitation project is located on an abandoned railroad grade and involves total deck construction or replacement, the width of the bridge, free from obstruction, shall be at least 10 feet.
NR 50.09(4)(e)3.
3. Bridges or culverts that have been developed or improved through the use of bridge rehabilitation funds are not be eligible for additional rehabilitation funds for a period of 10 years after rehabilitation, except where a natural event or other circumstances beyond the control of the county adversely affect bridge or culvert safety during this period and an affirmative recommendation of the snowmobile recreation council is obtained.
NR 50.09(4)(f)
(f) Supplementary snowmobile trail maintenance payments. NR 50.09(4)(f)1.1. Counties are eligible for supplementary snowmobile trail maintenance payments under s.
350.12 (4) (bg), Stats., if all of the following conditions are met:
NR 50.09(4)(f)1.a.
a. The county applies for a supplementary snowmobile trail maintenance payment for the snowmobile trail maintenance expenses of the previous fiscal year by August 1 of the current fiscal year.
NR 50.09(4)(f)1.b.
b. The reimbursement claim for the previous fiscal year maintenance expenses is submitted to the appropriate department regional office prior to August 1 of the current fiscal year.
NR 50.09(4)(f)1.c.
c. The county has expended the entire amount specified under s.
350.12 (4) (b) 1., Stats., on eligible snowmobile trail maintenance cost items in the previous fiscal year.
NR 50.09(4)(f)1.d.
d. The county has spent at least $150 per mile for eligible snow grooming expenses during the previous fiscal year.
NR 50.09(4)(f)2.
2. All counties qualifying under subd.
1. shall be subject to a cap of $250 per mile for all eligible non-snow grooming activities listed in s.
NR 50.03 (19) in the calculation of a supplemental snowmobile trail maintenance payment.
NR 50.09(4)(f)3.
3. All counties qualifying under subd.
1. are subject to a cap of 5 times the per mile maximum for maintenance specified under s.
350.12 (4) (b) 1., Stats., for all eligible snowmobile maintenance activities in the calculation of a supplemental snowmobile maintenance payment.
NR 50.09(4)(f)4.
4. Counties requesting supplemental snowmobile trail maintenance payments shall submit full financial documentation prescribed by the department to the appropriate department regional office for audit purposes. Counties may request an advance payment of 50 percent of the audited supplemental request prior to August 1 of the current fiscal year.
NR 50.09(4)(f)5.
5. Should the amount of funds approved for supplementary snowmobile trail maintenance payments under s.
350.12 (4) (bg), Stats., not be sufficient to satisfy the total audited requests received under subd.
1., the funds shall be distributed on a proportional basis.
NR 50.09(4)(g)1.1. Snowmobile trail segments eligible for rehabilitation assistance shall be a minimum of 3 miles in length and shall have been a part of the funded trail system of the county for a minimum of 10 years from the date of application for trail rehabilitation except where a natural event or other circumstances beyond the control of the county adversely affected trail safety prior to this 10 year period.
NR 50.09(4)(g)2.
2. Snowmobile trail segments that have been improved through the use of rehabilitation funds are not eligible for additional rehabilitation funds for a period of 10 years except where a natural event adversely affects trail safety during this period.
NR 50.09(4)(g)3.
3. A county is not eligible for rehabilitation funds for snowmobile trail segments that total more than 10 percent of the total mileage of the county funded for maintenance.
NR 50.09(5)(a)(a) Reimbursement of costs of county acquisition of rights-of-way or fee title may be up to 100 percent of eligible acquisition expenses.
NR 50.09(5)(b)1.1. Reimbursement of costs of county development of snowmobile trails shall be up to 100 percent of approved eligible project costs. Counties may request an advance payment of up to 75 percent of the signed contract amount for development.
NR 50.09(5)(b)2.
2. Development work cannot be started or project costs incurred until an agreement has been approved by the department and the sponsor.
NR 50.09(5)(bn)1.1. Eligible costs for snowmobile bridge development and rehabilitation projects include the following: construction and replacement of entire structure including approaches and abutments, construction and repair to the superstructure of the bridge, construction and replacement of the entire deck and railings and construction and repair or construction and replacement of protective riprap around abutments or footings.
NR 50.09(5)(bn)2.
2. Costs which are not eligible for development and rehabilitation cost sharing are: construction and replacement of bridge railings only, and patching of decking, grading or minor repair to approaches, construction and bridge repairs to bring bridge structure within any existing codes, construction and reinforcement of bridge structures to accommodate weights in excess of 14,000 pounds and deck construction and replacement for the primary purpose of accommodating larger grooming equipment.
NR 50.09(5)(bn)3.
3. Cost sharing for the purchase and installation of prefabricated bridges shall be limited to structures with a maximum design load of 14,000 pounds.
NR 50.09(5)(bn)4.
4. Cost sharing for the purchase of materials and construction of bridges built on site by either contractors or clubs shall be limited to a maximum design load of 14,000 pounds unless there are circumstances that lead to a capacity greater than 14,000 pounds for no demonstrated increase in cost.
NR 50.09(5)(bn)5.
5. Reimbursement of costs of bridge rehabilitation projects shall be up to 100 percent of approved eligible project costs. Counties may request an advance payment of up to 75 percent of the signed contract amount for bridge rehabilitation.
NR 50.09(5)(bp)1.1. Eligible costs for snowmobile trail rehabilitation projects include: clearing of trees from storm damage to re-establish the trail corridor, filling and grading to re-establish the trail tread damaged as a result of erosion and widening and straightening trail segments to improve visibility.
NR 50.09(5)(bp)2.
2. The following are not considered eligible costs of trail rehabilitation: brushing, signing and similar activities conducted as part of routine maintenance, costs associated with bringing a trail up to standards listed in sub.
(4) (c), construction of a new bridge or culvert with an inside diameter of greater than 24 inches or rehabilitation or replacement of a bridge or culvert with an inside diameter of greater than 24 inches.
NR 50.09(5)(bp)3.
3. Snowmobile trail rehabilitation projects shall be up to 100 percent of approved eligible project costs. Counties may request an advance payment of up to 75 percent of the signed contract amount for trail rehabilitation.
NR 50.09(5)(bp)4.
4. The total cost of the snowmobile trail rehabilitation project may not exceed $500 per mile unless approved by the snowmobile recreation council.
NR 50.09(5)(c)
(c) Reimbursement of costs of county maintenance of snowmobile trails shall be up to 100 percent of approved eligible project costs of maintaining the trail up to the amount per mile per year maximum specified under s.
350.12 (4) (b) 1., Stats. Counties may request advance payments of up to 50 percent of the signed contract amount for maintenance. To be eligible for maintenance advance payments, a county shall have settled all maintenance claims from previous years.
NR 50.09(5)(d)
(d) County liability insurance payments for approved trails shall be reimbursed at 100 percent of eligible costs. Liability insurance is an eligible cost under the category of maintenance.
NR 50.09(5)(e)
(e) Aids for development of trail shelters or sanitary facilities shall not exceed $5,000. Aids for a combination building including shelter and sanitary facilities shall not exceed $10,000.
NR 50.09(5)(f)
(f) Claims shall be on a reimbursement basis except for snowmobile trail development, bridge rehabilitation, trail rehabilitation and maintenance project advances.
NR 50.09(5)(g)
(g) The project period will not exceed one year. All maintenance agreements will terminate on June 30 of each year.
NR 50.09(5)(h)
(h) Trail grooming rates, including operator, power unit and drag, shall be established by the department.
NR 50.09(5)(i)
(i) Equipment rates for other maintenance activities and trail development performed by force account, snowmobile clubs or snowmobile club associations may not exceed the county machinery agreement rate established annually by the department of transportation.
NR 50.09(5)(j)
(j) Labor rates for other maintenance activities and trail development performed by snowmobile clubs or snowmobile club associations shall be established by the department.
NR 50.09(5)(k)
(k) Labor rates for other maintenance activities and trail development by county employees or others included in a labor contract shall be as established by the contract.
NR 50.09(5)(L)
(L) Claims for payment of maintenance, acquisition, development and bridge rehabilitation projects shall be submitted within 6 months after the project termination date for the costs to be eligible for reimbursement.
NR 50.09(5)(m)
(m) Reductions in grant payments for failure to comply with the requirements of maintenance, development or bridge rehabilitation project agreements may be made on a case-by-case basis. A partial or total reduction in funds shall be preceded by specific written notification of conditions which were not met and shall include a timetable for improvement in performance. Continued failure to comply with the grant agreement within the prescribed timetable may result in a reduction of grant funds. The reduction shall be calculated based on a percentage of poor performance in relation to the total trail system specified in the grant agreement.
NR 50.09(5)(n)
(n) For counties which do not request supplemental grooming payments under sub.
(4) (f), financial audit of claims shall take place as part of each county's year-end single audit. Counties not requesting supplemental grooming payments are not required to submit financial documentation with their payment request. After the single audit is completed, the department may perform additional financial audits of these claims to supplement work done in a single audit.
NR 50.09(6)
(6) Additional conditions. In addition to conditions listed in sub.
(5), the general provisions of s.
NR 50.05 also apply.
NR 50.09(7)
(7) Procedure for applying for grant. Contact appropriate department regional office for prescribed application forms and instructions. Submit completed application to the regional office by April 15.
NR 50.09(8)
(8) Useful life. A table of maximum useful life for project elements is established for the purpose of record management and record disposition. The listing of the maximum useful life figures for snowmobile maintenance, acquisition, development and bridge rehabilitation projects is as follows:
-
See PDF for table 
NR 50.09 History
History: Cr.
Register, March, 1975, No. 231, eff. 4-1-75; am. (1) (d), (2) (a) 2. b. and c, (2) (b), (c) and (d), and (3),
Register, March, 1976, No. 243, eff. 4-1-76; r. and recr.
Register, June, 1980, No. 294, eff. 7-1-80; renum. (1) (a), (b), (c), (2) and (3) to be (4) (b), (c), (d), (5) and (7), renum. (5) (h) and (i) to be (5) (g) and (h), am. (4) (b) 5., (4) (c) 3.b., (5) (b) and (c), r. and recr. (5) (f) and (h), cr. (1), (2), (3), (4) (a), (5) (i), (j) and (k) and (6), r. (7) (b),
Register, May, 1983, No. 329, eff. 6-1-83; am. (3), (4) (c) 2. f., 3. b., (5) (c), (d) and (f), cr. (4) (e) and (f), (5) (L) to (n) and (8),
Register, November, 1989, No. 407, eff. 12-1-89; r. and recr. (4) (b) and (5) (b) 1., am. (4) (d) 2., (f) 1. intro., a., c. and d., (5) (a), (c) and (f), cr. (4) (d) 3., (e) 3., (f) 2., (g), (5) (bn) and (bp), renum. (4) (f) 2. and 3. to be (4) (f) 3. and 4. and am.,
Register, February, 1996, No. 482, eff. 3-1-96; r. and recr. (4) (c) 3. b., am. (4) (f) 1. a. to c., 2. and (7), renum. (4) (f) 3. and 4. to be (4) (f) 4. and 5. and am. (4) (f) 4., cr. (4) (f) 3.,
Register, December, 1999, No. 528, eff. 1-1-00;
CR 04-014: am. (4) (c) 3. b. and (5) (c)
Register September 2004 No. 585, eff. 10-1-04;
CR 11-050: am. (4) (b) 2., cr. (4) (bm), am. (4) (f) 1. d., (5) (bn) 1. to 4.
Register July 2012 No. 679, eff. 8-1-12;
2023 Wis. Act 110: am. (4) (f) 3. Register March 2024 No. 819, eff. 4-1-24. NR 50.10
NR 50.10
Aids to cities, villages or towns for route signs. NR 50.10(1)(1)
Purpose. The purpose of this section is to establish standards for the posting of route signs and directional arrows and for the implementation of an aids program for cities, villages or towns for the initial purchase of snowmobile route signs and for purchase of signs briefly explaining the intoxicated snowmobile law along snowmobile routes under ss.
23.09 (26) and
350.12 (4), Stats.
NR 50.10(2)
(2) Applicability. The provisions of this section are applicable to all cities, villages or towns. Aids are available to cities, villages, or towns for up to 100 percent for approved eligible project costs of initial signing of snowmobile routes which connect authorized trails or which offer entrance to or exit from trails leading to such municipalities. Aids are also available to cities, villages, or towns for up to 100 percent of the cost to purchase signs explaining the intoxicated snowmobile law along snowmobile routes.
NR 50.10(3)(a)1.1. Snowmobile route signs. Signs for use on highways and sidewalks designated for use by snowmobile operators by the governmental agency having jurisdiction or authorized by s.
350.04, Stats., are as follows:
NR 50.10(3)(a)1.a.
a. The snowmobile route (D11-6) sign shall have a reflectorized white symbol, margin and message on a reflectorized green background. The standard and minimum size of this sign is 24 inches by 18 inches. The design of the stylized snowmobile symbol and the word message “SNOWMOBILE ROUTE" shall essentially conform to the standard design on file in the division of highways, department of transportation.
NR 50.10(3)(a)1.am.
am. The combination snowmobile and all-terrain vehicle route sign (Drawing D11-8) may be used when the highway or sidewalk is designated for use by both snowmobile and all terrain vehicles. The sign shall have a reflectorized white symbol, margin and message on a reflectorized green background. The standard and minimum size for this sign is 24 inches by 8 inches. The design of the stylized snowmobile and all-terrain vehicle symbol and the word message “ROUTE" shall essentially conform to the standard design on file in the division of highways, department of transportation.
NR 50.10(3)(a)1.b.
b. A directional arrow marker (Drawing M7 series) shall have a reflectorized white arrow and margin on a reflectorized green background. The standard and minimum size of a directional arrow marker is 12 inches by 9 inches.
NR 50.10 Note
Note: Copies of sign designs may be obtained from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Office of Traffic Engineering, 4802 Sheboygan Avenue, Madison, WI 53705.
NR 50.10(3)(a)1.c.
c. A snowmobile route sign with appropriate directional arrow shall be placed at the beginning of a snowmobile route and at such locations and intervals as necessary to enable snowmobile operators to follow the route.
NR 50.10(3)(a)1.d.
d. All snowmobile route signing shall be done by or under the direction of and is the responsibility of the unit of government which designates the snowmobile routes. The department of transportation reserves the right to require such changes in the signing of snowmobile routes marked over the state trunk highway system as it deems necessary in the interest of efficient and safe operation of the highway.
NR 50.10(3)(a)2.
2. Reflectorization. The reflective material for all reflectorized signs shall meet the specifications of paragraph 637.2.2.1 on reflective sheeting in the state of Wisconsin department of transportation division of highways standard specifications for road and bridge construction, edition of 1981.
