Gov. David Paterson announced on Tuesday that regulations aimed at reducing large truck traffic in rural communities had been drafted and would be sent through the formal rule making process.
If the regulations pass a roughly six-month review process, the state Department of Transportation would require trucks 45-feet or longer to use interstate highways as primary routes.
Trucks would be allowed to leave the routes to stop for gas, food, to get to access terminals, to make repairs or to rest.
The regulations, which are aimed at limiting environmental risks and reducing noise pollution and traffic, would be subjected to public scrutiny to determine if any other changes needed to be made before the measures were implemented.
Skip Carrier, director of communications for NYSDOT, said one issue he expected to be raised would be the economical impact.
“I think a big thing with this draft is that we acknowledge the commercial and historical use of the roads,” Carrier said. “We are looking at all the parts, residential, business and trucking. Our approach is a different way to do the economical things while not putting our picturesque settings at a disadvantage. It will be a balance and we will need to discuss how we will do it.”
Several transportation companies and industry representatives voiced their concerns after Paterson originally announced, during a press conference in Skaneateles last month, that he intended to push for trucking regulations. Many industry advocates feared the restrictions would place trucking businesses under economical stress due to factors such as high gas prices and a slumping economy.
NYSDOT will also encourage cargo transportation by freight train and will work with other state and public authorities to ensure that large trucks are efficiently using the interstate highways.
The regulations also called for the implementation of traffic calming initiatives to restrict or slow down traffic, such as reduced speed limits, street narrowing projects and bike lane markings.
These initiatives will be available for Finger Lakes tourism destinations which NYSDOT deemed to be high traffic areas, Carrier said. A total of 15 locations have been declared eligible for the measures and more locations could be added to the list as research continues.
“Most of those areas on the list are located on state roads so the state will pay for the work,” Carrier said. “Sometimes the municipalities will have to pay, but they could get federal eligibility which would cover 80 percent of the costs.”
Aurora Village Trustee George Farenthold, who is also the vice president for the Upstate New York Safety Coalition Task Force, said UNYSCTF had constantly been at the forefront of the trucking issue in rural communities.
“I have been anxiously awaiting the NYSDOT's draft of the rules,” Farenthold said. “We have been trying to bring this issue to our state and federal officials and now I believe they fully understand the concerns of our village, town and county officials.”
While he praised the regulations, Farenthold said his organization was aware that more work needed to be done to find a balance that would allow the trucking industry and the residents to be happy.
“One of the details yet to be vetted will be balancing industry needs versus the needs of local residents,” Farenthold said. “We have never been anti-trucking or anti-trucker. We are pro-safety, pro-quality of life, pro-environment and protective of our infrastructure. You can put a price tag on the infrastructure but the safety and quality of life are priceless.”
Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net
Potential traffic calming areas in Cayuga and Onondaga counties
Municipality Route Speed Limit(MPH) Length(Miles) From/To AADT *
City of Auburn 20 30 1.4 East city line to end of 5/20 overlap 10,000
City of Auburn 38 30 4.0 Southern to northern city lines 4,300
Union Springs 90 30 1.4 Southern to northern village lines 2,200
Cayuga 90 30 1.2 Southern to northern village lines 2,300
Skaneateles 41 30 0.5 South village line to U.S. 20 2,100
Skaneateles 41A 30 0.6 South village line to U.S. 20 3,300
*AADT is Annual Average Daily Traffic
Trucks would be allowed to leave the routes to stop for gas, food, to get to access terminals, to make repairs or to rest.
The regulations, which are aimed at limiting environmental risks and reducing noise pollution and traffic, would be subjected to public scrutiny to determine if any other changes needed to be made before the measures were implemented.
Skip Carrier, director of communications for NYSDOT, said one issue he expected to be raised would be the economical impact.
“I think a big thing with this draft is that we acknowledge the commercial and historical use of the roads,” Carrier said. “We are looking at all the parts, residential, business and trucking. Our approach is a different way to do the economical things while not putting our picturesque settings at a disadvantage. It will be a balance and we will need to discuss how we will do it.”
Several transportation companies and industry representatives voiced their concerns after Paterson originally announced, during a press conference in Skaneateles last month, that he intended to push for trucking regulations. Many industry advocates feared the restrictions would place trucking businesses under economical stress due to factors such as high gas prices and a slumping economy.
NYSDOT will also encourage cargo transportation by freight train and will work with other state and public authorities to ensure that large trucks are efficiently using the interstate highways.
The regulations also called for the implementation of traffic calming initiatives to restrict or slow down traffic, such as reduced speed limits, street narrowing projects and bike lane markings.
These initiatives will be available for Finger Lakes tourism destinations which NYSDOT deemed to be high traffic areas, Carrier said. A total of 15 locations have been declared eligible for the measures and more locations could be added to the list as research continues.
“Most of those areas on the list are located on state roads so the state will pay for the work,” Carrier said. “Sometimes the municipalities will have to pay, but they could get federal eligibility which would cover 80 percent of the costs.”
Aurora Village Trustee George Farenthold, who is also the vice president for the Upstate New York Safety Coalition Task Force, said UNYSCTF had constantly been at the forefront of the trucking issue in rural communities.
“I have been anxiously awaiting the NYSDOT's draft of the rules,” Farenthold said. “We have been trying to bring this issue to our state and federal officials and now I believe they fully understand the concerns of our village, town and county officials.”
While he praised the regulations, Farenthold said his organization was aware that more work needed to be done to find a balance that would allow the trucking industry and the residents to be happy.
“One of the details yet to be vetted will be balancing industry needs versus the needs of local residents,” Farenthold said. “We have never been anti-trucking or anti-trucker. We are pro-safety, pro-quality of life, pro-environment and protective of our infrastructure. You can put a price tag on the infrastructure but the safety and quality of life are priceless.”
Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net
Potential traffic calming areas in Cayuga and Onondaga counties
Municipality Route Speed Limit(MPH) Length(Miles) From/To AADT *
City of Auburn 20 30 1.4 East city line to end of 5/20 overlap 10,000
City of Auburn 38 30 4.0 Southern to northern city lines 4,300
Union Springs 90 30 1.4 Southern to northern village lines 2,200
Cayuga 90 30 1.2 Southern to northern village lines 2,300
Skaneateles 41 30 0.5 South village line to U.S. 20 2,100
Skaneateles 41A 30 0.6 South village line to U.S. 20 3,300
*AADT is Annual Average Daily Traffic
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