YORK, S.C. (CN2 NEW) 18 wheelers and other larger trucks driving through downtown York are becoming a growing issue for business owners and residents. Issues like damaged property, speeding and loud noises now have business owners calling on the City to change an existing ordinance that currently allows drivers of these vehicles who make stops in the city, to take routes of their own choosing.
A recent incident has York business owners talking about an issue they say has been ongoing.
York business owner, Chris Holbert saying, “We had an oversize load come through here. It was a big old… they had a big storage shed was huge on the back of a flatbed that came through and actually the city was in the process of updating all the lights down here, trimmed all the trees up and they had just trimmed all the trees in and started installing new lights and then they come through and rip the lights out of one of the trees and ripped half of the tree down half of the top of the tree out in the city had to come down here and have it trimmed up.”
Now, city leaders are saying its time for a bigger change, considering making the downtown area from Liberty to Madison Street a no truck area.
City Manager Seth Duncan says, “Those larger 18 wheelers and other large vehicles damage the roads, they damage the infrastructure, the trees and actually can damage foundation for some of our historic structures, buildings, and homes.”
With the existing no through truck ordinance – leaders say there are limitations to its enforcement.
“Because it requires officers to be able to track and pace that vehicle all the way through the city. What residents are now asking for is help, more tools, to combat the number of trucks that we see in our historic downtown area,” says Duncan.
Business leaders are calling for a change they believe would make city streets safer.
“We hear all the excuses why they can’t do it. There are ways they can do it. They need to come together and figure out the way to get it done and start taking some action to move forward with it,” says Holbert.
In the video above, CN2’s Rachel Richardson is speaking with city leaders and business owners about the safety changes they’d like to see.
