Wandering Trucks Causing Problems in Springdale, Other Cities Not as Affected

Other Cities Not As Affected...

STAFF PHOTO JASON IVESTER Traffic travels west Wednesday along Don Tyson Boulevard in Springdale. Problems with large trucks on residential streets come up occasionally, said Sam Goade, Springdale director of public works. Large trucks are supposed to stay on marked truck routes, he said, unless they are making a delivery.
STAFF PHOTO JASON IVESTER Traffic travels west Wednesday along Don Tyson Boulevard in Springdale. Problems with large trucks on residential streets come up occasionally, said Sam Goade, Springdale director of public works. Large trucks are supposed to stay on marked truck routes, he said, unless they are making a delivery.

SPRINGDALE -- Walt Laster of Springdale grew tired of big trucks coming through his street headed for a construction site for a new junior high school.

"They were tearing up the street," Laster said. "Julio Road wasn't designed to have that much weight on it."

At A Glance

Truck Routes in Springdale

• All numbered highways, including U.S. 412, U.S 71B, Arkansas 112, Arkansas 265 and Arkansas 264.

• Wagon Wheel Road east of Interstate 540 to U.S. 71B

• Springdale’s central corridor, running east of I-540 on Elm Springs Road which changes to White Road then Huntsville Road and eventually into Butterfield Coach Road, ending at U.S. 412.

Source: City Of Springdale

Traffic Counts

Estimated daily vehicle counts in 2012 at selected locations.

• Springdale’s Sunset Avenue at Interstate 540: 36,000

• Springdale’s Thompson Street at Sunset Avenue: 32,000

• Springdale’s Thompson Street at Don Tyson Parkway: 28,000

• Fayetteville’s College Avenue at Joyce Boulevard: 39,000

• Rogers’ Eighth Street at Walnut Street: 24,000

• Rogers’ Walnut Street at I-540: 29,000

• Bentonville’s Walton Boulevard at I-540: 37,000

Source: Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department

The speed of truck traffic also was a safety threat, Laster said. A neighbor with an autistic child stopped one of the trucks to ask him to slow down, Laster said.

"The driver laughed at him," Laster said.

After Laster complained at a City Council meeting, the problem was taken care of, he said.

Problems with large trucks on residential streets come up occasionally, said Sam Goade, city director of public works. Large trucks are supposed to stay on marked truck routes, he said, unless they are making a delivery. Trucks making local deliveries should have paperwork to prove where they are delivering, he said.

The routes sometimes are ignored, Goade said.

"Trucks tend to take the shortest route," Goade said. "They'll do what they can get away with."

Drivers ignoring the truck route regulations can be issued a ticket to appear in court, said Ernest Cate, city attorney. If found guilty, the fine could go up to $1,000, Cate said.

The City Council will be considering an ordinance to make enforcement of the rule easier, Cate said, and hopefully ease the concerns of the drivers of smaller vehicles.

Callers complain about not feeling safe when driving along side large trucks on street not designed for the extra traffic, Goade said. The safety and the problem of wear on streets concerns city officials, Goad said.

"A fully loaded 18-wheeler wears out the road as much as 10,000 passenger vehicles," Goade said.

Most complaints are for trucks on Don Tyson Parkway, Chapman and 40th streets, said Mayor Doug Sprouse. Trucks should be on those streets only to make local deliveries, he said.

The parkway is used to avoid congestion and traffic signals on Robinson and Sunset avenues, Goade said. Sections of Robinson and Sunset are also U.S. 412.

David Arthur of Springdale said he understands why the parkway is preferred by east to west traffic.

"I can shave 15 to 30 minutes by using Don Tyson instead of 412," Arthur said.

Springdale has some east to west connector streets that other Northwest Arkansas cities don't have, said Terry Gulley, Fayetteville Transportation Services director.

"In Fayetteville, our main north-south and east-west connectors are state or federal highways," Gulley said. "Trucks are allowed on those."

Fayetteville officials rarely get calls about trucks off marked routes, Gulley said.

"We had some calls about Joyce Boulevard east of Arkansas 265," Gulley said. "We put up signs and it seemed to work."

The signs work about 90 percent of the time, Gulley said. When the signs don't work, police officers are asked to patrol the problem area more often, Gulley said.

"The word passes around fast among professional drivers when someone gets a ticket," Goade said.

In Bentonville, street improvements have improved access for trucks, said Mike Churchwell, transportation engineer for the city. The access was needed because of the large number of Walmart warehouses in the city, he said.

Complaints dropped off after the improvements were completed, Churchwell said.

"Every once in a while, you'll see some truck on a residential street," Churchwell said. "You can tell the driver's lost by the look on his face."

Steve Glass, city director of Planning and Transportation, said the problem doesn't occur in Rogers.

When complaints come in, the Police Department will be notified, Sprouse said.

"If we are not responsive, then it will add to the problem," Sprouse said.

Part of the enforcement problem has been making sure police officers knew what vehicles are permitted and which ones aren't, said Capt. Ron Hritz, Springdale patrol division supervisor.

"We need to be able to look at a vehicle and know if it belongs there," Hritz said. "If you are trying to look at license plates or weights printed on the cab, it's too hard."

The law needs to be more specific, Arthur said.

"The signs say 'No Thru Trucks,'" Arthur said. "That could apply to pickup trucks."

The requirement to follow routes applied to trucks over 5,000 pounds, Cate said. The definition was outdated, said Alderman Eric Ford, since he had a personal pickup that nearly weighed that.

The new proposal is for the routes to be for any truck with more than six wheels, said Goade. Recreational vehicles, public transportation and governmental vehicles would be exceptions, Cate said.

"That would be easy for us," Hritz said.

"That's a good compromise," Arthur said.

The proposal will go to a City Council committee meeting on Monday then, if sent on, would be up for a vote at Tuesday's full council meeting.

NW News on 04/06/2014

Upcoming Events