Escanaba Approves Golf Carts on Certain City Streets

New resolution allows golf carts on designated roadways, with speed and safety restrictions.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Escanaba City Council has unanimously approved a resolution that will allow golf carts to be driven on certain city streets, with limitations on speed, location, and driver requirements. The move aims to address the long-standing practice of golfers operating carts on local roads, particularly near the Escanaba Country Club.

Why it matters

The new golf cart resolution is intended to provide a legal framework and clear guidelines for an activity that has been occurring informally in Escanaba. It aims to improve safety and reduce the burden on local law enforcement, who previously had to respond to calls about unauthorized golf cart use on city streets.

The details

Under the new resolution, golf carts will be permitted on designated streets within Escanaba, but high-traffic areas like Ludington Street, Lincoln Road, Stephenson Avenue, and Sheridan Avenue will remain off-limits. Golf carts will be required to adhere to a 15 mph speed limit and can only be operated by licensed drivers aged 16 and older. Use will also be restricted to the period between half an hour after sunrise and half an hour before sunset.

  • The Escanaba City Council approved the golf cart resolution on February 20, 2026.
  • The new rules will go into effect in the spring and summer of 2026.

The players

Jim McNeil

Escanaba City Manager, who stated that the resolution aims to provide a legal framework for the existing practice of golf cart use on city streets.

Darren Smith

Escanaba Public Safety Director, who expressed support for the resolution as it will reduce the burden on law enforcement to respond to calls about unauthorized golf cart use.

Tyler Dubord

Escanaba Mayor Pro Tem, who likened the golf cart resolution to a previous city resolution involving side-by-sides, describing it as a "trial-and-error" approach.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We've always had golf carts driving around the city. We get a lot of calls about people driving them, sometimes in a way that's safe, sometimes in a way that's not safe. What this really does is it says, 'Okay, you're allowed to drive a golf cart, just on specific streets with quite a few requirements.'”

— Jim McNeil, Escanaba City Manager (wzmq19.com)

“It will take the burden off of us. Currently, if anybody sees a golf cart on the street, they usually call and say, 'Hey, can you come and check on this person? They have a golf cart on the road.' … We do have to tie up an officer to go and check that out and educate that person that you can't have the golf cart on the roadway.”

— Darren Smith, Escanaba Public Safety Director (wzmq19.com)

“There was a lot of discretionary on that, a lot of pros and cons, hearing from both parties, and we thought we'd give it a shot. It's been a few years already, and the feedback we've received so far is not problematic. Like this, too, it's kind of a trial-and-error aspect that we're trying this out. If we find from feedback from Public Safety that there's concern, we can add more restrictions, definitely, to the ordinance, or we could rescind it again. It's a trial thing, but I do feel that it does help the golfers be more at ease, too.”

— Tyler Dubord, Escanaba Mayor Pro Tem (wzmq19.com)

What’s next

The City Council will monitor the implementation of the golf cart resolution and consider making any necessary adjustments or restrictions based on feedback from the public and the Escanaba Public Safety Department.

The takeaway

Escanaba's new golf cart resolution aims to balance the needs of golfers and the broader community by providing a legal framework for an existing informal practice, while also prioritizing safety through speed limits, driver requirements, and restricted areas. This trial-and-error approach reflects the city's desire to accommodate golfers while also addressing any public safety concerns that may arise.