Restrictions on Trucks May be Eased on Hampton Boulevard in Norfolk

Hampton Boulevard in Norfolk sees a heavy volume of big trucks rumbling to and from Norfolk International Terminals 4. Now under a relaxation proposed by Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim, a ban on trucks on the road after 4 p.m. could end.

Fraim wants the Norfolk City Council to extend travel hours for trucks to 7 p.m., reported the Virginian-Pilot. An assistant city manager briefed the council on the proposal this week, the Pilot reported, and said members would shortly receive an ordinance for consideration.

However, council members Andy Protogyrou and Theresa Whibley said the proposal “should not be rushed,” the Pilot reported.

It appears trucking companies are concerned that their drivers have to find alternative routes on leaving the terminals at present after 4 p.m., thus pushing up their operating costs. Fraim said he is concerned truckers are causing heavy congestion by leaving the terminals and getting on Hampton Boulevard before 4 p.m.

“There is an inordinate number of trucks on Hampton Boulevard between the 2, 3 and 4 o’clock hours,” Fraim was quoted as saying in the article. “And that is when the biggest logjams occur there.” The jams exacerbate congestion near Old Dominion University when trucks blend with campus traffic around 3 p.m., the Mayor said.

Whibley said nearby residents and their homes bear an inordinate burden of wear and tear from trucks. In 2006, Hampton Boulevard saw almost 2,000 trucks a day. Last year, that number was 1,546. The peak weekday hour for trucks last year was from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Dan Neumann, past president of the West Ghent Civic League, claimed the 4 p.m. restriction has reduced wear on Hampton Boulevard and a hurried decision to alter what emerged from a “very engaged public process” in 2007 would be a shortsighted move.

As a Norfolk trucking accident lawyer I see every day the dangers posed by big rigs on residential roads. It’s crucial that Norfolk’s decision makers consider the safety of other drivers in making this important decision. Call Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers at 757.455.0077.