Baldwin County bans trucks on Foley road amid damage from heavy vehicles

By GUY BUSBY
Government Editor
guy@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 2/17/23

FOLEY — Trucks can no longer use Clarke Ridge Road as a shortcut in Foley after officials and residents reported that the heavy vehicles are damaging the roadway.The Baldwin County Commission …

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Baldwin County bans trucks on Foley road amid damage from heavy vehicles

Posted

FOLEY — Trucks can no longer use Clarke Ridge Road as a shortcut in Foley after officials and residents reported that the heavy vehicles are damaging the roadway.

The Baldwin County Commission voted Feb. 7 to post signs stating that trucks cannot use the route between Miflin Road and Baldwin County 12 South.

Commission Chairman Charles "Skip" Gruber, whose district includes the road, said the trucks are damaging the roads and worrying residents.

"That's something that they've been calling me about," Gruber said. "We just fixed that road and we've been fixing some of the drainage stuff in there and now all these big trucks are coming in. They've got several large subdivisions going in on it and instead of them going down 12 and hitting the expressway, they're cutting through Clarke Ridge off of 20 and they're just scared somebody's going to get run over by one of those big trucks."

The street is described as a low-volume residential road with several curves, according to county reports.

Commissioner Billie Jo Underwood said she was concerned that truck drivers might not obey the new restrictions.

"They're tearing up our newly resurfaced road and it's horrible down there," Underwood said. "I don't know how we're going to police it but we can put the sign up down there."

County Engineer Joey Nunnally said county deputies and Foley police will be asked to enforce the ban.

"It takes a little bit of training for those dump truck drivers," Nunnally said. "I'll get up with the sheriff and see if he can put someone out there and once we get them trained, they can back off, but just getting them going the Beach Express is our intent. It's not going to add a whole lot of mileage to them. It's going to save our road and make it a lot safer."

Gruber said the signs should reduce the amount of truck traffic on the road.

"You post it most of the time, they'll pay attention to it," Gruber said. "It makes a big difference if it's posted."