Published: October 15, 2008 02:38 am            

WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM: Truckers' Upper Mountain shortcut spurs rumbling

TOWN OF LOCKPORT — Randall Hodge’s fervent wish is that 18-wheelers and other big vehicles would quit trucking up his street.

He has lobbied hard for several years to get truck traffic off Upper Mountain Road between Saunders Settlement (Route 31) and Lockport Junction Road (now routes 93/270). Town officials credit him with being an early driving force behind the town’s successful bid to get New York State Route 93 off Upper Mountain and onto Junction Road in 2006.

Hodge isn’t satisfied with rerouting alone, however. Truck traffic still passes by his front yard, traffic he says it’s still quite heavy at times; he counted up to 20 large vehicles an hour passing by his house this past summer, he said.

He’d like the state to lower the 55 mph speed limit on the 31-to-93 stretch of Upper Mountain to further discourage truck traffic — and/or Niagara County and the town to somehow force trucks to stay on state routes unless they have deliveries along Upper Mountain that can’t be made otherwise.

Speaking for the town, Deputy Supervisor Debbie Gaskill says Upper Mountain is a county road, and the town has no control over it; county Public Works Commissioner Kevin O’Brien says county actions are dependent on state standards; and state Department of Transportation Regional Traffic Engineer Thomas Messana says apart from the speed limit, decisions about the road belong solely to the county and town.

The vicious circle has Hodge claiming he’s a victim of indifference and “injustice” at the hands of public officials who haven’t embraced his suggestions. He says a lower speed limit would suit the largely residential stretch and insists a town effort to push truck traffic onto 31 and 93 would not cause an undue burden for truckers.

“It’s nine-tenths of one mile longer to use Route 93 than to cut through (Upper Mountain),” Hodge said. “If it was 5 miles I’d say ‘OK,’ but it’s less than a mile and there are fewer stoplights.”

Of Junction between 31 and Upper Mountain, he adds, “There’s only one-tenth of the population, and six homes. There are 60 homes (on Upper Mountain).”

Municipal officials say they’ve done just about everything they can do for Hodge while still being fair to others. They’re mindful of the fact that not only is Upper Mountain a road built for trucking, it’s also an entry point into Delphi Thermal and the Town of Lockport Industrial Park.

Gaskill, O’Brien and Lewis Staley, director of the Town of Lockport Industrial Agency, all assert Hodge is the only resident who has complained to them about traffic issues on Upper Mountain.

O’Brien recalled that when the county initiated a DOT speed study in April 2007, at Hodge’s request, “we never heard anything from anybody except two people who said, ‘don’t change (the speed). We like it just the way it is.’”

DOT ultimately rejected a lowered speed limit of 45 mph because “from an engineering standpoint (it) is not warranted,” Messana said. State speed studies look at the road condition and assume most motorists drive at a speed they consider to be prudent. The Upper Mountain study suggested almost three-quarters of traffic already traveled less than 55 mph voluntarily and DOT said posting a lower limit would not, in itself, cause motorists to slow down more.

Put another way, O’Brien said, “You can put on whatever (limit) you want but if traffic keeps going the way it wants to go, all you do is set up a ticket situation.”

Hodge dismissed DOT’s rejection as nonsensical and argues the town or county could do more — post weight limits on the road, put up warning signs or call in local law enforcement — to discourage through traffic.

Staley, who says he has tended to Hodge’s concerns repeatedly over the years, seems exasperated by his new demands.

“Mr. Hodge is complaining about garbage and delivery trucks. They have as much right to use that road as anybody else,” he said.

Roads are weight-posted based on their weight-bearing ability only, he and O’Brien both said, and the conditions on Upper Mountain don’t warrant limits.

As for signs, Staley said, more than a few are already up. At all the approaches to Upper Mountain, from Saunders Settlement or Junction Road, the directionals for 31 and 93 are impossible to miss. On Upper Mountain near Junction, eastbound traffic sees a “no engine braking” sign, to discourage that noisy driving practice; traffic going east or west on Upper Mountain sees multiple locator signs pointing out the entrance to the industrial park, in the hopes vehicles don’t miss it, brake and attempt a reverse.

Within the park, Staley said, tenants have been asked to direct truck traffic to and from the park entrance on Junction Road, “but maps are maps.” Existing maps, both print and online, show Route 93 as still crossing Upper Mountain, and it may take several years for the mapmakers to catch up, he and Messana both said.

There are no signs within the industrial park expressly stating trucks should avoid Upper Mountain. Staley said it’s not necessary because only one tenant, Excel Logistics, generates routine truck traffic, and its signage already indirectly point to access from Junction Road.

Delphi Thermal has only one truck reception area, also off Junction.

Law enforcement could be invited to enforce the town’s established truck route — which directs through-traffic to stay on state highways until the place where trucks have business — but Staley said he thinks that’s not practical.

“I doubt it’s a high priority for local police ... and in many cases, we’re talking about interstate commerce here,” he said.

The greater distance involved in avoiding Upper Mountain burns diesel and time, two factors that can affect a business’ bottom line, especially an independent trucker’s, Staley said. His gist: The town does not need a reputation for being commerce-unfriendly.

“Is (Upper Mountain truck traffic) a large, public problem? Absolutely not,” Staley said. “It’s a problem in (Hodge’s) eyes. And we will attempt to minimize the problem where we can. ... On the other hand, if we could have 7,000 trucks a day coming through here, and 7,000 people working at Delphi, there’s no question which I’d prefer.”

Contact reporter Joyce Miles at 439-9222, ext. 6245.

        

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