Drivers oppose truck ordinance

FORT RECOVERY — A group of local truck drivers attended Fort Recovery Village Council’s meeting Monday night to argue against proposed legislation.
The council unanimously tabled a third and final reading of an ordinance prohibiting truck traffic and parking on Fort Site Street, which runs between Ohio 119 and Ohio 49, after 45 minutes of discussion. It also reviewed a preliminary list of possible street projects created by the council’s research committee.
In past meetings, village administrator Randy Diller cited safety concerns with the road’s narrow right of way as cause for the proposed truck ban, but some drivers contend it may be safer than other routes semis could travel.
“I just don’t see your safety issue thing at all,” said Gary Post, a local farmer and Gibson Township Trustee. “I just think you’re bringing all the trucks through more people.”
Post said sending trucks through on Ohio 49 would put them in contact with more pedestrians, which could be more of a safety hazard than using Fort Site Street.
Fort Site was never intended to be used for the kinds of trucks that are built today, which are heavier and longer and in greater numbers, said Diller.
“We’ve had discussion off and on the last 15 years,” he added. “It was never designed as a truck route.”
With blind spots at intersections and cars having to reverse to allow trucks to turn, Diller called the route using Fort Site a dangerous one.
Diller suggested truck drivers and the companies that employ them help the village find a proactive solution to get trucks through Fort Recovery efficiently and safely with ideas for new routes, even if that includes constructing something.
“I don’t know that the village has to take all of our streets and make it the shortest path to get to where you guys want to go,” said Diller. “We’re going to try to provide you with a good way to go.”
Diller has already met with Ohio Department of Transportation to look at ways to get from Ohio 119 to 49 without taking town streets and noted that it won’t be a quick or cheap process.
Council decided to table the issue until its Oct. 20 meeting, although Post wanted to see a resolution.
“So basically, if that’s what it’s coming to, I’m going to say it, us being here didn’t mean a damn thing because in two weeks, when we aren’t here, they’re going to pass it anyhow,” said Post.
While the permanent decision on whether to allow truck traffic was tabled, council members did consent to take down temporary signs prohibiting truck traffic that were meant to be up until a final decision was made.
“I don’t believe that there’s an easy answer,” said council member Dave Garman.
It wasn’t just the one street on the minds of council members Monday night.
The end of the village’s sewer separation is bringing new project ideas to the forefront, including improvement of the village’s streets.
Diller presented council members with a list of potential street projects, categorized by the amount of work that would need to be done, how it would be funded and how badly it’s needed.
“The whole thing can change as we progress,” said Diller of the rough draft of ideas.
Top-ranked areas for projects include Caldwell, First, South Elm, Williams, South Main, West Wiggs and Gwendolyn streets for complete reconstruction, including curbs, sidewalks, storm sewers and lights. For possible overlays, which are the grinding and laying of asphalt, the village will look at stretches of First, Broadway, Milligan, Boundary and Center streets first.
Funding will ultimately decide what is worked on, said Diller. He hopes to receive Ohio Public Works Commission funds in 2016 to begin the larger projects, while next year’s budget will include funds for some of the overlays.
In other business, council members Rod Thobe, Cliff Wendel, Al Post, Dave Kaup, Dave Bretz and Garman:
•Approved a draw request of $107,291.25 for Tom’s Construction’s work on the sewer separation project. This puts the project total at $2.53 million.
•Were updated that a natural gas contract for utility aggregation had been reached with VolunteerEnergy. The two-year contract is locked in at a price of $4.79 per Mcf (1,000 cubic feet of natural gas). It will take effect Dec. 1, with letters for the opt-out program to be sent later this month.
•Heard that agriculture students from Fort Recovery High School recently installed a new metal roof to one of the village’s shelter houses, with the village making a donation to the program for its labor.
“It’s a great tool for us and for them,” said Diller.