By Mike McKibbin / NewsBreak Denver / Oct. 7, 2022
[CASTLE ROCK, COLO.] — The Town of Castle Rock will begin to post its first truck routes this month after the town council gave final approval Tuesday night.
Over the past month and a half, the council approved an ordinance and resolution on 6-1 votes — with Councilmember Caryn Johnson opposed — that focuses truck traffic on major streets: Wolfsenberg Road west of Interstate 25, the Plum Creek Parkway and Ridge Road east of I-25.
The documents also define heavy trucks as those with a gross weight of at least 10,000 lbs. and call for violators to face traffic infraction fines of between $500 to $1,000.
Public Works Director Dan Salier said the routes were proposed earlier this year due to increased citizen complaints about trucks cutting through residential streets.
Wear and tear, noise issues
The town currently allows trucks on all its streets unless they have signs restricting their use, Salier said. He added that heavy trucks put more wear and tear on the roads and increase noise and other impacts on residential areas.
Salier noted he did not expect the designated routes to noticeably increase traffic on the designated streets.
Exceptions to the restrictions include emergency vehicles, trucks making local deliveries and pickups, trucks operated by local governments or political subdivisions and trucks involved in construction, repairs or maintenance at the direction of or with a permit from the town.
'Community-driven changes'
Johnson said she cast the opposing vote because residents near the truck routes were reportedly unaware of the town's plans. She also stated the routes would only redistribute truck traffic to those routes.
"These were mostly community-driven changes," Salier responded. "We tried to put the trucks where they'd have limited impacts. And we tried to establish the least amount of routes to serve all the town."
Salier said the town knows several residential areas back up to major arterial roads with higher traffic volumes and speed limits.
He said that the town held several community meetings and sent information to residents and businesses along the routes to inform them of the plans.
Truck noise not eliminated
Police Chief Jack Cauley said heavy trucks "are just loud."
"Most of them follow state noise limits," he added. "Truck routes do help, but this isn't gonna eliminate truck noise."
Salier also noted that the town council could change the routes if they prove problematic.
"This is something that's new (for Castle Rock), but it's not new for most jurisdictions, so truck drivers are pretty familiar with these," Salier said.
Black and white regulatory signs will be posted along the adopted routes this month through the end of the year, Salier said.
More information on the town's truck routes can be found online.
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