BRIDGEPORT — At their meeting on Aug. 18, the Logan Township Council discussed how to reduce large truck traffic from Beckett Road.
An abundance of larger trucks in the area have made the road more dangerous for drivers and children who may play in the area. But recent ordinances that have been adopted regarding changing truck routing are expected to quiet the roadways.
Logan Township Police Captain Joseph Flatley wanted to advise Mayor Frank Minor and the Council about the measures that have gone into slowing the traffic on Beckett Road, Oldmans Creek and Center Square Road. Flatley said that he had just gotten word that the GPS systems that some of the truckers were using just read the signage in other municipalities. Some of them said, “Ignore the GPS”.
“We should have some conversations about those before we get the signage into place,” Flatley observed. “We’re trying to redirect traffic off of Beckett Road for safety’s sake, and I think that signage would be a good thing in the long term for out there.” Flatley said, “We address the issues when we are able to identify the trucks, but we can’t always do that.”
Flatley said the signs would give the local police more leverage but Engineer Annnina Hogan noted that the department of transportation won’t give Logan the signs they want until they get state approval.
Hogan explained that the township wants a “No Right Turn” sign on the Logan side, and the County said it won’t get approved by the state until the DOT approves the new truck route mapping. “That’s the only signage that we’re holding up on”, she added.
“If there’s something we can do from an engineering point of view, we need to figure this out,” Minor countered. “Something has to be done to stop the truck from making the turn, period. But the left they make onto Center Square Road is a disaster.”
The GPS doesn’t distinguish a truck from a non-truck,” commented Hogan. “We might need to get a sign that says Truck Route.
“We can be sure to tell which direction the trucks were using to leave their facility and going on Beckett Road,” she mentioned. Councilmember Art Smith observed, “Captain Flatley tells us that some of the traffic is coming in from the south. Their GPS is going to tell them to make a left or a right. I don’t think any truck driver would ever make a left turn. A traffic light out there might only jam things up. Is there any way we can add an on ramp to Oldmans Creek?”
Hogan suggested sending a letter out to the DOT to give the on-ramp consideration as a long-term improvement project.
“Up until now we were just giving out a lot of careless driving tickets,” Flatley commented. “We’ve been addressing it, but now I’ll let them know what code they can use. Electronics and GPS in the 21st century will tell them what to do, but we don’t want them going down that road.”
Some drivers are said to be getting out through Oldmans Creek Road. Councilmember Doris Hall asked Flatley how she and others can help identify trucks, and the Captain suggested license plates.
“The trailer numbers change too quickly, but who can identify the cab may be the best way to identify who was driving. We’re often getting reports well after the fact.”
“We’ve got to do more in terms of enforcement”, stated Logan Township Mayor Frank Minor. Flatley pointed out that the Amazon main office doesn’t have much contact with their drivers, and if they tell the drivers to avoid Beckett Road, it’s not likely to happen. Minor said the township needed to change the culture of these events.
Elsewhere, Council later appointed Terrell AA. Ratliff as municipal public defender. For the Logan Public Works Department, Nicholas Thompson was appointed to the position of flex driver.
Later among the roadway resolutions, the mayor and Council approved a second payment of $288,212.81. to Think Pavers for the Beckett Road Calming and Resurfacing Project.
Then finally, Council appointed an alternate member to the zoning board of adjustment for Logan Township with Demetrius Mojica as Alternate #2.
The mayor and Council also adopted a resolution that would allow the refund of utility opening permit applications fees to Craig Test Boring Co. Inc.by Logan Township.
By Robert Holt
