Weight Limit Considered For Old Allardt Road

Fentress County held a public hearing Friday about the addition a weight limit to Old Allardt Road to protect it from any further damage from local dump trucks.

Highway Superintendent Ryan Reed said dump trucks use the road as a shortcut from Highway 52 to the Highway 127 bypass. Reed said the road has been damaged by these trucks over time because it was not designed for such heavy loads.

“It’s really no, no different, I mean they may be saving thirty seconds by using Old Allardt Road versus, versus staying on, on the state route until they got to it,” Reed said. “It’s just a burden on the taxpayers of, of having to keep that road up, and it’s just, it’s just not built for heavy traffic.”

Reed said the limit would also address safety concerns for those living on the street because the dump trucks drive through at excessive speeds. He said he is working with T-DOT to get a core sample that will allow them to determine how much weight the road can withstand.

“We’re just trying to eliminate a safety issue,” Reed said.

Reed said if the weight limit is implemented larger trucks would have to stay on Highway 52 until they get to the bypass, but the change should have no impact on the citizens and drivers living in the area.

“We’re not cutting anybody off, they just got to go around instead of through,” Reed said.