At the Spruce Pine Town Council meeting on April 22, a concerned citizen voiced his frustration over the ongoing issue of dump trucks traveling through the center of town, highlighting safety and cleanliness concerns.
Tim Kearns pointed out that the debris from these trucks not only poses a risk to residents but also contributes to the deterioration of roads.
“I know people have been beating on [this issue] for many years. I continue to see them coming through town and it’s almost like they’re thumbing their nose at us,” he said, addressing the Spruce Pine Town Council. “I was in the paving business down in Atlanta, you did not leave that quarry until you walked around the truck and made sure all the loose materials were off of your truck. [Otherwise] the DOT gave you a very, very expensive ticket.”
Kearns noted that this neglect has led to material spillage in Downtown Spruce Pine, particularly in front of downtown businesses on Upper Street creating hazardous conditions for pedestrians and vehicles alike. He proposed an alternative route for trucks, suggesting they use Highway 226 instead, which he claims is only an additional 1.1 miles and has the same number of traffic lights. His analysis suggests that the travel time would remain unaffected. With upcoming downtown events, Kearns expressed concern about the potential risks to public safety and appealed to the council to address the issue with state authorities.
“With all the festivals coming up, do we want to risk someone getting hurt, or having someone’s car damaged,” asked Kearns.