There has been no action yet, but Pulaski County may be inching closer to the implementation of its own Frost Law.
Discussion was had during Monday night’s meeting about when an ordinance might be completed. Under a frost law, commercial trucking traffic is disallowed from traveling on certain roadways between February and late April. That’s considered when concrete is in a deep thaw and susceptible to potholes.
Pulaski County Attorney Kevin Tankersley explained what the Frost Law attempts to manage.
“Stay on the highways that are better able to handle the weight,” says Tankersley. “It destroys out county roads.”
Pulaski County has previously discussed the difficulty of enforcing such an ordinance, especially when it comes to trucking traffic outside of the immediate area.
Which roads would be banned for travel, and how to devise alternative transportation has been a key topic of discussion. Pulaski County has expressed an interest in allowing commercial truck traffic to stop by their highway department to obtain a permit for traveling on non-highways.
Tankersley says it’s reasonable to assess additional cost for more damage incurred.
“The bottom line is you’re trying to balance the good of the public,” says Tankersley. “Most people don’t drive trucks that destroy the roads and then there are the few that do. They should pay a little bit of a premium for that.”
Pulaski County still has time to implement such a measure before thawing roadways may become an issue for commercial truck traffic.
The Frost Laws of neighboring counties have been reviewed for both consistency and for possible changes.
The Pulaski County Commissioners will likely consider the issue in the near future.
