Joliet OKs gas law banning fueling off-road vehicles

The Joliet City Council has approved an ordinance targeted at off-road vehicles cruising city streets.

The local law makes it illegal to fill the gas tank of a dirt bike, all-terrain vehicle or other off-road vehicle at a gas station unless it’s hauled there on a trailer.

The ordinance approved Tuesday is modeled after a Kankakee law created for the same purpose as police deal with groups of off-road riders cruising city streets.

Joliet police and city officials said the ordinance is one tool for enforcement. Police said it is not the only action they will take to curb the problem this summer, and that they will step up enforcement.

It’s already illegal to drive an off-road vehicle to the gas station.

But Police Chief Bill Evans has said Kankakee police found the ordinance useful in dealing with the issue.

The new ordinance also makes the gas station responsible for preventing illegal fill-ups for off-road vehicles.

Because of public concern that the ordinance could affect purchases of gas for lawn mowers, city officials have emphasized that the new law does not prevent buying gas for mowers. Mowers, however, would have to be hauled to the gas station by a legal street vehicle if the owners wanted to fill them directly.