Pittmantown Road’s truck traffic to stop

Published 10:14 pm Friday, September 19, 2008

The residents who live along Pittmantown Road say they have had enough of the tractor trailers tearing through their neighborhood.

“I just feel like it’s a big accident just waiting to happen,” Louis Kalwhite told City Council Wednesday night. He said he often drives a detour home in fear of a head-on collision.

Pittmantown Road is a narrow, undivided two-lane road, which is heavily trafficked by large trucks.

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Frank Baldwin lives right on Pittmantown Road, and he called his drive home a “daily adventure.” He asked that Council make more restrictions to the road, and back it up with police officers to enforce it.

Kathy Kalwhite said driving through the road was a “battle trying to pass Mack trucks” on the road.

“I don’t know how school bus drivers do it,” she said.

Residents previously approached the city to make the road restricted to through trucks (trucks that are just using the road to get to another part of the city or another locality).

The Department of Public Works Traffic Engineering Division completed a study and determined that there was an alternative route in order to restrict the road to through trucks.

Dennis Godwin also spoke to Council about how they planned to implement any changes made to the road. He said they could make all the laws they wanted to, but until the city actually enforces the rules, nothing new will happen.

After hearing from residents, Council voted unanimously to restrict through truck traffic.

Councilman Curtis Milteer spoke specifically to Godwin’s concern.

“The police department will be there to enforce it,” he said. “It can be enforced. Once it’s approved, it will be enforced…public safety is at stake.”

Also at the council meeting:

Council voted unanimously to extend a conditional use permit to Berkley Machine Works to open shop at Lummis Road.

Council voted unanimously to accept a resolution authorizing the City Manager to amend the Suffolk Airport Sanitary Sewer and Water Extension Construction Agreement.

Council voted unanimously to pass an ordinance approving revised job descriptions for positions in the Department of Utilities.