EASTON, MD - In an effort to address road strain and enhance safety, Talbot County has implemented a weight limit on Black Dog Alley, a frequently used detour by truck drivers seeking to bypass traffic on Route 50.
The decision, enacted by the Talbot County Council, comes as a response to concerns regarding the road's inability to withstand the heavy truck traffic it has been enduring. Pete Lesher, Vice President of the Talbot County Council, explained, "This was done for two reasons. Frankly, the road cannot take it. The road simply isn't built for all that heavy truck traffic, and it's getting a lot of it. The road needs to be rebuilt, but it's still not going to be built to those heavier specifications and not the full length of it."
Lesher added that the road's edges have been deteriorating due to heavy trucks, prompting the council to enforce a weight limit of 17,000 pounds for the entire stretch of Black Dog Alley. This restriction affects 18-wheelers and heavy work trucks, rendering the shortcut off-limits to these vehicles.
Nicholas Tindall, a resident off of Black Dog Alley, welcomes the change, anticipating a reduction in noise pollution. "...probably an overall decrease in noise," says Tindall. However, he expresses empathy for truck drivers in a rush, stating, "I also care about the commercial truck drivers too, so I hope it doesn't affect them too badly."
Despite the new weight limit, certain vehicles are exempted. Emergency vehicles, government vehicles, agricultural vehicles, and businesses operating along the road, such as landscaping companies, are not subject to the restriction. Lesher clarifies, "It exempts emergency vehicles, so a big heavy firetruck, that doesn't apply. Government vehicles and it exempts agricultural vehicles."
To ensure that commercial drivers are aware of the changes, the Talbot County Council plans to collaborate with the state to install signage on Route 50 and other relevant roads to warn the commercial truck drivers who might want to take the detour. Lesher emphasizes, "We want to change behavior. We're not out to play gotcha. We want that heavy truck traffic to stay to the main arteries."
And no tickets will be administered immediately by the Talbot County Sheriff either.
