Double Springs passes truck ordinance

DOUBLE SPRINGS    -  A major traffic issue presented by Police Chief Kim Miller to the Double Springs Town Council last July is being corrected with the adoption of a new ordinance prohibiting certain large trucks from city streets.
Ordinance 2022-1 was unanimously approved by the Double Springs Town Council at their regular meeting Monday, Jan. 10, including yes votes from Andy McSpadden, Adam Veal, Tim Cockrell, Brittany Tucker and Hobby Walker.
Thru truck traffic is now expressly prohibited on Blake Drive, Main Street, as well as all residential streets between the intersection of Highways 278 and 195, to the town limits traveling east on Highway 278 and south on Highway 195 from that intersection, according to the ordinance.
Thru truck traffic has been defined as any commercial vehicle of three or more axles (truck only) and three or more axles if truck-trailer combos, the ordinance points out, that has no delivery or pick-up destination inside the designated streets or does not have a home base of a licensed place of business inside the designated area and/or which does not have a legitimate business purpose, such as the purchase of parts, fuel or mechanic services, the ordinance reads.
Any violation of the ordinance will result in a citation punishable as a Class C misdemeanor in accordance with Alabama Codes 32-1-3 and 32-1-4.
The ordinance, City Attorney Jeff Mobley explained,  concerns traffic, including large trucks, traveling on Blake Drive as a shorter route between Highways 278 and 195.
“What we have tried to do is make clear and reassert what the truck route is through the Town of Double Springs,” Mobley said.
There has been an issue for some time of large trucks with trailers attached cutting through town on Blake Drive between Highways 278 and 195 causing not only congestion, but dangers to other motorists, town officials discussed in a meeting last July.
Traffic on Blake Drive has also been congested by the ongoing construction of the new Winston County Department of Human Resources building, where numerous work trucks go in and out on a daily basis.
“We will need to buy signs that say ‘Truck Route’ that are clearly listed and (place) ‘No Trucks’ (signs) on any side roads that they may be trying to go through,” Mobley noted.
 Certain transfer trucks and van trucks have been using downtown streets as shortcuts between 195 and 278, creating a danger and hazard to municipal streets which are not designed for such heavy use traffic, the ordinance reads.
The town had already posted signs reading “No Trucks” near the intersection of Highway 278 with Blake Drive, as well as on Old Cheatham Road, but the ordinance calls for new signs to be posted and stricter measures taken to keep trucks on 195 and 278.
Mayor Elmo Robinson said the ordinance was approved in order to save Blake Drive from  deterioration.
“It used to be a state highway, but the state doesn’t keep it up now. The city has to,” Robinson pointed out.  “It is just not designed to handle 18-wheelers.”
“We definitely appreciate what truck drivers do and the service they provide to the whole country, but we want them to stay on a route that is designed for trucks” noted Miller.
Over time, the chief has seen an increase in 18-wheeler traffic on Blake Drive, as well as Old Cheatham Road, which is another cut-through road between two major highways.
“It’s not designed for that,” Miller noted. “Plus, they have to pull out into traffic on Highway 195 right in front of the courthouse, which is not really the best option for trucks.”
18-wheelers have a difficult time turning in the narrow area from Blake Drive onto Highway 195, Miller explained.
“At one time, it was very rare to see a truck on that route.  It got to where there was a lot more 18-wheeler traffic on it,”  Miller said.
Chief Miller was also concerned about additional traffic on Blake Drive, once the DHR building is completed and workers and driving in and out.
“Basically, the city streets were not made for big trucks,” Miller explained.
Trucks, even those with three or more axles that have to make deliveries on city streets, will continued to be allowed to do so, the chief stated.
“We’re not trying to keep people from delivering on that road,” Miller noted. “We’re trying to cut down on people using  it as a cut-off from 195 to 278.”
Miller added that signs will be placed at better locations so truckers will not see the signs after already turning on to Blake Drive or Old Cheatham Road. The new signs will be placed on each end of Blake Drive and Cheatham Road, he said.
“There have been signs posted for years,” he said. “There are two signs, one on each end, but the signs were posted in a location where truckers had already made a commitment (to be) on that road.  They can’t back out to 278 and they can’t back  up to 195.”
The new signs will be placed more likely on the major highways before a turn is made onto either Blake Drive or Old Cheatham Road, Miller continued.