Truck Traffic

TRUCK TRAFFIC

ORDINANCE  RE:  TRUCK TRAFFIC

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE LEGAL VOTERS OF THE TOWN OF STONINGTON IN LAWFUL TOWN MEETING DULY ASSEMBLED, THAT THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCE BE ESTABLISHED BY THE TOWN OF STONINGTON:

        Pursuant to the statutory authority vested in the Town of Stonington through Section 7-148(c)(7)(B)(i) and Section 7-148(c)(7)(H)(xii) of the Connecticut General Statutes and to ensure the public health, safety and welfare of the residents of the Town of Stonington.

1.1  The Board of Police Commissioners shall have the power to prohibit through truck traffic on any street or any portion of any street or any publicly owned parking lot where such through truck traffic would endanger or impede vehicle or pedestrian traffic.  The Board of Police Commissioners shall consider the following:

a.  Width, horizontal, and vertical alignment of the street in question;
b.  Pavement, construction and ability of the street to withstand heavy vehicles;
c.  The availability of alternate routes for truck traffic other than the street being considered;
d.  Land use on the street in question;
e.  Neighborhood stability;
f.  Such other standards as are recognized and accepted by professional traffic engineers.

1.2  Before designating any such street or portion thereof or any publicly owned parking lot for no truck traffic, the Board of Police Commissioners shall conduct a public hearing. Testimony at this hearing shall be considered in addition to the criteria listed in Paragraph 1.1 above.  Notice of the hearing date, time and location shall be published in a newspaper having circulation within the Town of Stonington at least fifteen (15) days, but not more than thirty (30) days in advance of the hearing.  The Board of Police Commissioners shall cause such street, portion of street, or parking lot to be posted with "No Through Truck Traffic" signs or such signs that comply with the manual on uniform traffic control devices.

1.3  Definitions as used in this Ordinance:

a.  "Truck" shall include, but not be limited to a commercially operated or licensed vehicle having a gross weight of 18,000 lbs. or more.  "Truck" shall not include public safety, educational or municipal vehicles.

1.4  Emergency - Nothing in this Ordinance shall prevent the use of any said street, portion of street, or parking lot on a temporary basis in a declared emergency.  The Chief of Police and/or Board of Police Commissioners for the Town of Stonington shall have the power to act in an emergency to reroute truck traffic on any of the posted roads on a temporary basis not to exceed five (5) days.

1.5  Nothing in this Ordinance is intended to usurp the state and/or federal laws regarding transportation requirements.

1.6  Nothing in this Ordinance shall prevent the use of any such restricted street or portion thereof by such trucker having a destination on such street for purposes of the delivery of goods or services to such destination.

1.7  Penalty -  Any person violating the terms of this Ordinance shall be fined One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) for each offense.

1.8  All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this ordinance are hereby repealed.

This Ordinance shall become effective fifteen (15) days after publication in a newspaper having a substantial circulation within the Town.

Adopted:  April 14, 1997
Effective:  May 3, 1997