GAINESVILLE – First reading of a resolution governing truck traffic restrictions passed without comment Wednesday evening at the Hall County Commission meeting.
“This is essentially a ‘No Through Truck’ ordinance,” Srikanth Yamala told commissioners.
Yamala is Director of Public Works and Utilities for Hall County, and explained after the meeting that the resolution was basically an update of the existing code adopted 37-years ago. “This ordinance is an update to the 1983 ordinance where we used to list individual road names as ‘No Through Truck’ roads,” Yamala said.
The new ordinance would remove the need to maintain a list of roads prohibiting truck traffic and focus instead on roads that do allow trucks, setting restrictions and limitations there.
Clauses particular to the new ordinance are as follows:
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All motor vehicles or vehicle combinations having a gross weight (including any load carried thereon) in excess of thirty-six thousand (36,000) pounds, or vehicles having an overall length in excess of thirty (30) feet, or vehicles having ten (10) wheels or more, except vehicles designed to carry passengers, are prohibited from using any public roads within unincorporated Hall County except those authorized as truck routes.
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Restricted vehicles must stay on designated truck routes unless a destination necessary for business, such as pickup or delivery point, garage, or terminal is accessible only via a non-designated truck route. Ingress and egress to and from such points shall be made by the most direct route available from the nearest designated truck route.
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No vehicle shall be operated on any public road maintained by Hall County designated as a truck route with a total gross weight in excess of fifty-six thousand (56,000) pounds unless the vehicle is making a pickup or delivery on such road.
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Any person driving or in charge or control of any of the restricted vehicles specified in this Chapter on roads other than those designated as truck routes, shall be prepared to present for the inspection of law enforcement officers destination and point of origin to justify the presence of the restricted vehicle on a road other than a designated truck route.
A second reading of the resolution, time for public comment and a final vote by the commission is scheduled for Thursday, February 27th. Anyone wishing to make comment on the new ordinance is welcome to address the Hall County Commission that evening.
