Thursday, March 7, 2024

The Word from the DOT

In advance of the Truck Route Committee meeting tonight, a document has been posted on the City of Hudson website: a letter from the NYS Department of Transportation. The first paragraph of the letter contains some very interesting information:
Trucks over 48 feet in length, for example 53’ tractor trailers (special dimension vehicles), are only allowed to travel on roads designated as access highways for special dimension vehicles. . . . If a special dimension vehicle, such as a 53’ tractor trailer, is traveling on a road or segment of road that is not designated as an access highway, then the driver risks getting pulled over by law enforcement. For instance, a 53’ tractor trailer traveling on Route 9G / 23B to the L&B Products Terminal cannot travel north of the L&B Products Terminal. . . . 
The big takeaway here is that Route 9G, which becomes Third Street in the City of Hudson, is not a designated access highway beyond the turnoff to the building that was once L&B Furniture and now houses, among other things, the Antiques Warehouse.


Apparently at some point, forty or so years ago, the City of Hudson made the choice to allow trucks to proceed beyond that point and travel through the city by way of Third and Columbia streets to Green Street, but if the City made that decision, it would seem the City can reverse it. 


This is the biggest news yet in the ongoing struggle to eliminate trucks passing through Hudson on their way to someplace else. It will be interesting to see what happens tonight at the Truck Route Committee meeting. The meeting, which begins at 6:00 p.m., is a hybrid, taking place in person at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street, and on Microsoft Teams. Click here to find the link to join the meeting remotely.
COPYRIGHT 2024 CAROLE OSTERINK
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6 comments:

  1. LewMarch 8, 2024 at 12:49 AM

    How will all the Restaurants and Antique shops get their goods delivered? Or are the trucks ok for that purpose?

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    1. Carole OsterinkMarch 8, 2024 at 9:52 AM

      Local deliveries are permitted. What will be turned back are trucks that are just passing through Hudson on their way to someplace else.

      Delete
  2. BILLMarch 8, 2024 at 8:17 AM

    HPD never tickets tractor trailers on State Street and elsewhere off the truck route, so why would we think they would bother enforcing a new law for trucks on 9G or S. 3rd Street if a law were passed?

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    1. Carole OsterinkMarch 8, 2024 at 8:34 AM

      There is no need to PASS a law. It is already in place. It is just a matter of education and enforcement.

      Delete
    2. John K. FriedmanMarch 8, 2024 at 10:14 AM

      Carole, Bill's point is valid: it's always been about education and enforcement. The HPD has never wanted to be in the truck-policing business if it could help it. Under former Chief Moore, the official policy was to allow the State Police to handle it as they have a specialized truck enforcement group -- but they are split in 2 for the entire state (as it was explained to me). So the chances of one or the other being in Hudson is pretty slim.

      If the HPD agrees to enforce the law then the City still needs to contact the GPS providers to ensure that "professional" GPS units (like the ones in trucks) reflect that transit is not allowed north of the L&B turnoff.

      Delete
  3. BILLMarch 8, 2024 at 12:39 PM

    HPD is struggling to find AND retain officers. We shouldn't expect them (or county and state troopers) to be hanging out on 9G stopping every truck and asking the drivers where they are headed. It can't happen now, nor should we ever expect it to. The truck route has morphed into an uncontrollable monster, like Godzilla or, better yet, Godzilla's nemesis THE SMOG MONSTER!
    Tractor trailer traffic on State Street is most definitely on the upswing once again. Every day, several travel from Green to 3rd, and HPD officers are well aware of it. Tickets won't have any effect anyway.

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