Enforcement of the City of Knox truck route has some over-the-road drivers seeking alternate routes to access the industrial park. Mayor Dennis Estok to the board of works yesterday he’s gotten several telephone calls and emails since the stepped-up patrols started earlier this month. He says truckers are going down every side street they can to avoid taking Culver Road to and from the industrial park.
The goal is to keep them from driving through school zones and residential areas. The posted truck route advises drivers to take State Road 8 East to 300 East/Klockner Drive regardless of whether they are coming from the north or south.
Signs indicating truck traffic is prohibited are posted at the intersection of West Culver Road and South Heaton Street, and there are also truck route signs posted. Street Superintendent Jeff Borg says adding more signs would cost quite a bit of money.
The Knox City Council has also talked about increasing the fine from $50 to $150. Estok says doing so should serve as a better deterrent for drivers who try to sneak through without getting caught. City officials have reached out to all of the factories in the industrial park so they can alert their drivers and suppliers. Meanwhile, the mayor asked Knox Police Chief Harold Smith and Borg to discuss possible solutions.
