Suffolk News-Herald

Backed by overwhelming support of local residents, the City Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to ask the Virginia Department of Transportation to restrict through-truck traffic on Nansemond Parkway between Wilroy Road and the Chesapeake border.

The ban would not impact trucks making deliveries within the area.

The state has nine months to make its decision.

The council’s actions come a week after more than 50 citizens gathered at Nansemond River High School. Residents at the hearing recounted tales of close-calls with accidents, seeing tractor trailers cars alike ignoring posted speed limits, particularly around schools, and traffic signals; and problems with tailgating.

Tractor-trailers often use the Nansemond Parkway as an effort to avoid the state weigh scales on the U.S. Route 58.

The city’s proposed alternate route would take traffic from Interstate 664 to the Wilroy Road entrance.