By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
ALLENTOWN – In a bid to control truck traffic in the community, the Borough Council has introduced an ordinance that if adopted would ban trucks weighing more than 4 tons from Allentown’s streets.
The ordinance was introduced during the council’s Oct. 25 meeting with affirmative votes from council President Wil Borkowski, Councilman Robert Strovinsky, Councilwoman Madeline Gavin, Councilwoman Angela Anthony and Councilman Rob Schmitt.
Councilwoman Johnna Stinemire was absent.
In addition to prohibiting trucks weighing more than 4 tons from borough streets, the ordinance seeks to prohibit trucks weighing more than 4 tons from certain Monmouth County routes that run through Allentown.
In a discussion of the ordinance at a previous meeting, Borough Attorney Greg Cannon said a law banning trucks from county roads may not be upheld in court if it is challenged by a trucking company.
However, the borough’s elected officials said they want to proceed with the ordinance as a way of letting Monmouth County officials know that Allentown cannot handle the volume of trucks that passes through town on a daily basis.
The ordinance states that trucks weighing more than 4 tons gross vehicle weight “are hereby excluded from the following county roadways and all borough streets, except vehicles will be permitted on all streets for the purpose of pick-up and delivery of materials and on route to parking…”
In regard to county routes, trucks weighing more than 4 tons would be prohibited on:
• Main Street (Route 539/524) from Probasco Drive to Allentown-Yardville Road.
• Allentown-Yardville Road (Route 524) from Main Street to Breza Road (Allentown-Upper Freehold Township border).
• Church Street (Route 526) from the Robbinsville-Allentown border to Main Street.
• Waker Avenue (Route 526) from the Upper Freehold Township-Allentown border to Main Street.
• High Street (Route 539) from the Upper Freehold Township border to Main Street.
The ordinance states that if any portion of the ordinance is declared invalid (i.e., the prohibition of trucks of county roads), the other portions of the ordinance will remain in effect (i.e., trucks banned from borough streets).
The ordinance will have a public hearing at the council’s Nov. 15 meeting. Members of the public may comment on the ordinance at that time. The council may vote to adopt the ordinance following the public hearing.
In other business, the council cancelled its Nov. 22 meeting and rescheduled it for Nov. 29.