There are designated heavy truck routes for a reason

By Ginna Young

Heavy truck traffic and parking are wreaking havoc on Cornell’s city streets, which is why something must be done. The City Works Committee met Oct. 21, to discuss how to accommodate truck parking, while protecting the roads at the same time.

Delivery trucks of all sizes pour into Cornell, on a weekly basis, coming from the state highways into town, which are designed for heavy truck traffic, because of more of a base and thicker asphalt.

“They’re built a lot better,” said city works superintendent Derek Braun.

While highways are designated as Class A roads, the city streets are mostly considered Class B, meaning that they can hold the weight of 12,000 pounds, per axel. When the county replaced culverts on State Hwy. 27, at the entrance to Cornell, and traffic was rerouted onto city roads, it pushed along replacement of some of the streets much quicker.

That was a wake-up call for the city leaders, as well as citizens, who saw that many heavy trucks are parked on Cornell’s streets.

“It’s messing up the roads, with these big trucks,” said Bill Kvapil, committee/council member.

Kvapil said the city wants to make it easier for bigger trucks to park elsewhere, than on the city streets, as many do now.

“I think the problem is, the more traffic that comes through, is tearing up the roads,” said resident/truck driver Miles Seymour.

Dan Osborn, resident, business owner and friend of Seymour, agreed, saying he feels as though the many delivery trucks are the ones tearing up the roads. Braun said the deliveries mostly take place on Main Street, which is built for heavier traffic, as are Third Street and Park Road.

Seymour has nowhere to park his truck, except in front of his house, which is in a commercially zoned area of the city. But, to get to that spot that is allowed by ordinance, he has to turn onto a street that is “illegal” to drive large trucks on.

Terry Smith, committee chair/council member, expressed that the city is not out to get the hard-working truck drivers in the community, but that it’s something that has to be addressed.

“Citizens are coming to us complaining and it’s our job to figure this out,” he said.

Braun added that they’re not singling out the truck drivers who live in Cornell, it’s just easiest to talk to them to make a beginning and resolve the matter.

“From my perspective, the winter parking’s the biggest thing,” said Braun.

As of Nov. 1, until April, all vehicles must be moved off the streets, between the hours of 2 and 6 a.m., to allow for snow removal by the city. That leaves the question of where the heavy trucks can be parked.

Braun is exploring options, such as parking behind the city shop, but that area by the shop has gotten tighter after the recent riverfront trail was completed.

“If we did anything at the shop, it’d require investing more into it,” said Braun.

Mill Yard Park is probably a better option, at least for the time being for winter parking. There is power near the parking lot area, by the softball field, where the city could charge a fee to plug in the trucks during the bitterly cold weather. The space is also plowed for access.

“I think that’d be an easy in-and-out,” said Braun. Seymour said he wouldn’t mind paying a yearly fee to park, as long as the city can guarantee security, as things have been stolen off his truck, prior to his installing cameras at his house.

Last winter, the Mill Yard Park pavilion was heavily vandalized.

“I think cameras are a foregone conclusion anyway, down at Mill Yard Park,” said Steve Turany, committee member/council president.

The police department has been informed that no tickets will be issued until the matter is resolved, with the exception of overnight winter parking, which is a different issue entirely. It was agreed that the city will continue to work on a solution for the truck drivers, while following the ordinance on the books.

“We’re just trying to figure something out here that’s best for everybody,” said Kvapil.