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HANCOCK -- ORV drivers are looking to expand their riding space to make traveling easier and to increase tourism in the U.P.

"The goal of our association is to go all the way from Ironwood, all the way to Sault Saint Marie or the Mackinac Bridge, stop along the way, spend the night, have dinner. Then, get up in the morning and keep on riding," said president of the Upper Peninsula ORV Trail Development Association, Skip Schulz.

In a video conference Tuesday, riders voiced their concerns to Senator Tom Casperson and the Senate Transportation Committee.

They want a connected string of trails throughout the U.P., which would mean allowing ORVs to ride alongside highways, something they aren't allowed to do now. It forces riders to hook up their ORVs to their car so they can move from trail to trail.

"It's a lot of work. It's a lot of work, and just to go a short distance, it doesn't make sense, you know," said creator of the Marquette County ATV Club, Tony Harry.

ORV riders are asking to pass a bill that's similar to snowmobile laws. Snowmobiles are allowed to travel on the side of a highway during the winter months. 

With milder winters in recent years, there's been less snowmobilers. The Upper Peninsula Trail Development Association is hoping that expanding the ORV trails could make up for a slower winter tourism season.

"We want to be able to take advantage of some of the loss of the tourism dollars from snowmobiling, and now, let's pick up that loss and recoup it as they are now riding ORVs," Shulz said.

The committee has not yet made a decision.