by Vanessa Braithwaite

IN LIGHT OF the concerns voiced by residents of Region 10 in relation to the careless traversing of lumber trucks on community streets, councillors of the RDC will be collaborating with the traffic department of ‘E’ Division to have stricter penalties enacted for drivers who fail to adhere to the law. Truck drivers who fail to divert to the gazzetted roads as they journey to and from interior locations, will be prosecuted. Currently, the Noitgedacht back road is being repaired by corporate citizens to be reinstituted as a lumber truck gazzetted road. This has been done to prevent the trucks from using the Watooka access road where a school and hospital are located. The road safety association will be repairing the Wisrock back road and the Coomacka back road that was also formerly used as gazzetted roads. Councillor Charles Sampson however recommended that the roads be asphalted as the dust that is stirred up when the trucks pass can be deemed a health hazard for residents living in the communities.
Another issue of concern is that of the trucks transporting lumber that is longer than the stipulated length. This was deemed very dangerous by several councillors who observed this to be a regular practice by the truck drivers. “If the length should be 10 inches, these drivers carrying 20 inches and this is very dangerous Mr. Chairman,” posited Councillor Callender. The councillors unanimously made a commitment to have these truck drivers pay heed to the law as the health and lives of the residents of Linden are at stake. “We got to stop talking and get some action into this issue,” councillor Sampson urged the rest of the councillors.
Another issue that was raised was that of the truck drivers securing the lumber with chains that were deemed not sturdy enough, instead of bars and reels. This concern will be given priority as the lumber that expands noticeably inches longer than the actual truck can carry, if released can result in a road fatality. “These chains are not strong enough that these men strapping these lumber with. Anytime these lumber fall out, it is not going to be nice at all,” said councillor Callender.
A time system will also be implemented whereby trucks should only use the roadways from 6 am to 6 pm. On the strike of 6 pm, trucks will have designated parking and reflector lights to increase visibility for other road users.
In addition to this, the scale that was used to weigh the tons being carried by the lumber trucks will be reinforced at the Mackenzie-Wismar Bridge as a means of ascertaining if the trucks are travelling with weight above the legal limit. The regional administration will be putting systems in place to have these lumber trucks pay heed to the rules, so as to create a safer community for residents.