2012-56 DESIGNATING CLASS II TRUCK ROUTE

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Public Works Memorandum NO. 2012-61 DATE: August 1, 2012 TO: Honorable Mayor McElroy City and Ci Council FROM: Ryan P. McCrady, City Manager Richard G. Marley, P.E., Public Works Director SUBJECT: Ordinance Designating Wood Street a Class II Truck Route between Main Street and Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council approve and that the Mayor be authorized to sign and the City Clerk to attest the attached Ordinance designating Wood Street as a Class 11 truck route between Main Street and Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive. PRIOR COUNCIL ACTION: Appendix A provides a summary of the prior Council action. BACKGROUND: On October 21, 2010,the City Council approved the Jurisdictional Transfer of North and South Route 51 (Franklin Street and Main Street)between Eldorado Street and Cleveland Avenue. A major reason for the jurisdictional transfer was to eventually reroute trucks from Downtown onto Wood Street and Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive. The jurisdictional transfer required that in order to move trucks from Main and Franklin Streets downtown, an alternate truck route be designated. The Illinois Department of Transportation(IDOT)reviewed and approved the recent ordinance passed by the City Council prohibiting vehicles with over 6 wheels from the downtown. At that time IDOT determined that a Class II truck route designation is required for the alternate route. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive portion of the alternate route was designated a Class Il truck route between Eldorado Street and Cantrell Street years ago to provide access to the grain elevator on Gault Street and as the detour route for the Decatur Celebration street closures. Currently, in accordance with State law, unless otherwise prohibited, City streets allow access to trucks up to 80,000 lbs. and up to 55 feet in length. A Class 11 designation increases the truck length to 60 feet. Page 1