Heavy trucks weigh on residents’ minds
Glen McDowell, his father Bill and Tony King feel their houses vibrate when heavy truck and trailer units travel into and on the main street of Otautau.
It doesn’t happen all the time, but the vibrations, along with truck noise, have interrupted Bill’s sleep. He is 84 and suffers from osteoarthritis.
The three men spoke about heavy vehicle issues at an Otautau Community Board meeting last month and suggested a heavy vehicle bypass would benefit the town.
‘‘At the height of the summer there’s 60 or more trucks coming through and then they come back,’’ King said.
‘‘They start coming about five in the morning and go to nine or 10 at night.’’
The speed of some trucks on the main street had concerned the men. However, Glen McDowell felt since they spoke at the meeting, the trucks were keeping to the speed limit of 50kmh.
Chairman Andre´ Bekhuis said the board was still looking into the concerns of King and the McDowells and would contact them with findings soon.
Bekhuis recalled about three years ago a speed camera was put in the main street for a month.
‘‘We found then the large vehicle behaviour was fine. It was the small vehicles that were misbehaving [going over the speed limit],’’ Bekhuis said.
His own views on noise were that it can travel long distances in still conditions.
‘‘Noise will travel and will be accentuated by weather conditions.’’
The McDowells’ home is in the main street and King lives on the southern end of the town in a 70kmh area. King is about 200 metres from the start of the 50kmh area.
Bill McDowell said the safety of children crossing the main street was a worry to him. ‘‘Small kids are unpredictable ... some don’t think first and rush across the road.’’
Glen McDowell said safety for all ages crossing the main street was important.