2003-09 DESIGNATING CLASS II HIGHWAYS

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Traffic &Parking Commission Minutes January 8, 2003 ITEM# 1 Request to consider a change in the Class II truck route Phil Bauer introduced Attorney Ed Flynn who was present representing Terry Hogan from Hogan Grain Co. Mr. Hogan recently purchased Hogan Grain and is requesting a modification of the Class II truck route serving his grain elevator. Hogan Grain's main office is located at the corner of the Mt. Zion/Elwin blacktop and Route 51. The principal route for trucks entering and exiting Hogan Grain is South Route 51 to Eldorado Street, right onto Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and right again to the elevator. The problem with this is that the median on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive prevents the trucks from making a legal and proper turn and they have to swing into the right lane to negotiate the turn. This is unsafe and dangerous. There are two options that have been proposed: Option I: Route 51 North to East Cantrell Street, East Cantrell Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, north on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive to the grain elevator. Option II: Route 51 North to E. Decatur Street, right on Decatur Street to the elevator. Option I is the preferred route because of the steep hill on E. Decatur Street and if there is a train on the track, a semi truck would have a difficult time starting up again on that steep of a grade. Matt Newell questioned Mr. Hogan on the amount of trucks that would be using the Option I and II routes. Mr. Hogan responded that during an 8-10 week period in the fall there would be a maximum of approximately 10-15 trucks a day using the route over a 5-6 hour period. Mr. Bauer stated that concerns were raised during the last meeting that other trucks would also use the Option I or II routes. He did not see it as a likely route for other truck traffic not associated with Hogan Grain to take. Mr. Sober stated that there was a concern that the residential streets would sustain three times the wear and tear. Deputy Chief Todd Walker stated that the Police Department's position is to maintain the truck policy. He agrees that the turn on Eldorado and Martin Luther King is not a good one, but the Police Department also does not have the authority to authorize trucks to go through residential areas. The Police Department would support Option B, but if this Option is granted, other trucks would have the same right to use the route too. Deputy Chief Walker stated that he could not in good conscious change his vote. Mr. Bauer referenced last month's minutes which stated that the Police Department would monitor trucks using the route and questioned how they could do this? Chief Walker responded that he is down 13 officers and 7 officers are off with injuries, so there is no way that they can monitor the trucks and they will not be ambushing or targeting them. Mr. Newell was asked if the traffic counters could count trucks using the residential streets and he replied that the traffic counters used by the City can detect trucks.