Ortonville – Village president Sue Bess is excited because heavy haulers will no longer be trashing the streets of downtown.
“This is something I’ve been told all my life that couldn’t be done, and now it’s happening,” said Bess.
Very soon no trucks over 8,000 pounds of gross vehicle weight will be allowed to travel through the downtown area, seeking access to M-15.
“Once the signs are up, enforcement can take place,” said Paul Zelenak, village manager.
While weight restriction signs have not been placed, Zelenak said the village is waiting for approval of placement for the state required “advance warning” signs, in order to enforce limit infractions.
“Right now the placement is under review with the county,” said Zelenak.
In the interest of public safety, except for local deliveries, the move will stall the increasing weighty truck traffic from using the Church and Mill streets to pass through to M-15.
The limitation is a result of a study done by the Traffic Improvement Association (TIA), an independent traffic assistance organization. The study included traffic patterns of Mill, Church and South streets to review in connection with the lack of a traffic light at Oakwood Road and M-15.
Zelenak said both Church and Mill streets are accepting an increased amount of commercial traffic, from Oakwood Road, in order avoid making a turn onto M-15 without a traffic light access.
TIA recommended the weight enforcements within the village. Based on state criteria, TIA recommended installing a light at Oakwood and M-15.
The later recommendation was forwarded to the Oakland County Road Commission, who passed the study on to Michigan Department of Transportation for review.
In addition to being an unnecessary safety risk to pedestrian traffic, Zelenak said the increased downtown truck traffic is causing excessive road maintenance as well as causing premature breakdown of road surface, and road front buildings.
Zelenak said this may be the first of three weight limitations restrictions within the village. Officials are considering similar restrictions on Church and/or South streets.