Any Berkeley County people who have an opinion on a truck ban on 522?

(from a former Berkeley County resident, now living in Jefferson Co.)

In light of the recent accidents and subsequent I-81 lane closures
and the suffocating gridlock that enveloped Martinsburg for hours
on end, I'm against anything that will add traffic. I sympathize
with Berkeley Springs, though. That tiny town is wedged in between
those steep ridges and there's not much room for a bypass, but
that's probably their best alternative. I doubt they can successfully
block truck traffic on a US route, but it has been done in the past
in Virginia (Route 17 between Paris and Delaplane). Fear of getting
stuck in a traffic disaster on I-81 is probably a big reason why
so many truckers defer to Route 522. And the nice thing about 522
is that it dumps into the 'Winchester Bypass', Route 37, which provides
a much less congested method of circumventing yet another overgrown
area. And who knows when Virginia will come up with funding to
widen their 323 miles of I-81 ?

Theres no scales on 522,thats why alot of them use it.It might be getting worse,because I think they're putting in a permanent scale there at the rest stop on I-81S in WV.It looks that way when you drive past.


Why is this in the education section? just asking

I think it's a bad idea because it will just add to the congestion of 81.

'Cause I was an airhead that day!



Edit: Moved to proper section

i am a former truck driver , and to the people who want a truck ban on 522 , Are you willing to come down to I-81 to get everything you want or need , your so quick to say stop the trucks, before you realize that everything you want or need comes to you by way of trucks , try thinking about that for awhile first

No thanks! We'll just buy our goods from trucking companies that respect our communities and their wishes. If you want to cop an attitude, you and your family can starve to death while somebody who's willing to be more customer-friendly gets all of our business.

How do you think the goods get to the stores? They are sent on trucks or is it ok for those trucks, just not ones delivering elsewhere. The roads were built for traveling on, if it is shorter to cut through then so be it. Freight has to get moved from point A to point B. I say if Berkley Springs bans trucks from coming through then the truck drivers and trucking companies should ban Berkley Springs, just stop all deliveries, and see how fast they change their tune

The big trucks can go point to point to warehouses next to the interstates, then transfer to smaller vehicles for local delivery on the secondary roads. Keeps the big rigs out of our communities and off of our local roads.

The smaller trucks would have to make 2 or 3 times the amount of trips one rig could. That means more gas, man time, and an extended lenght of time to receive the end product.

Next you will be complaining about the costs of those products rising and out of stock items due to increased delivery times.

not all of your local companies can afford or are willing to pay for a second freight charge , the price of everything would double , they would have to make up for the additional charges for shipping somewhere and i bet they will not eat that charge they will pass it on to you the customer

Tough issue, no doubt about it. I don't know 522 from Adam nor do I really give a hoot about West Virginia. But I do generally dislike seeing big trucks using roads not built for them, tearing up the local infrastructure and clogging up the highways, though I also know they're a necessary evil.

IMO there have to be some restrictions, but your points are not totally invalid. I really don't know if this particular route needs to be restricted, but it's an interesting topic for discussion.

I don't really think generalities like saying trucks should be banned from all roads and truckers saying "you anti-truck people are ignorant" add any value to the discussion, however and I was just responding in kind to illustrate that point.

Can anyone say something about that specific route (522) and why it's so unsuitable for truck traffic?

522 is not unsuitable it is a US highway it was built for truck traffic , it is just the people of Berkely Springs don't want the trucks coming through town , i for one have not nor do i see the point in name calling as you have stated it adds nothing to the disscussion

So it's not really a limited acess highway at all? I take it from others' comments that I-81 is an acceptable alternate for through traffic, and of course it has got to be lmited access and therefore I would think is far better suited for this kind of traffic. In which case I would support banning through truck traffic on 522. Local deliveries okay, but keep the through traffic out on the interstate which was built for it. JMO.

cutting through takes time and miles off your trip so you don't have to go all the way to Hagerstown to catch 70 yes it is a short cut on a road designed for truck traffic i still say if they want to ban trucks then truckers need to ban them and see how fast all this goes away

...and I still get mad when I see this typical atitude like you truckers own the road. If'n you wanna come through MY town, you had better ask MY permission first, you tool!

P.S. - What can I say: one ignorant comment deserves another.

Route 17 between Paris and Delaplane that was mentioned earlier in the thread is a single lane highway. To me, more like a country road. There have been many accidents on 17 that prompted the change. The last time we traveled down 17, the reduction in speed didn't seem to have deterred many trucks.

522 is two lanes in both directions; at least until come into Berkley Springs. I can see where the residents would be troubled by big trailers coming through town, but I think they need to be realistic.

I don't necessarily agree that it's built for a large amount of truck traffic. When you get into the heart of Berkeley Springs, it's 1 lane each way, with the courthouse and many stores and homes lining both sides of 522; and Berkeley Springs does not discourage people from crossing the street in that section of town. One big rig delays folks from crossing the street, but if there's a constant procession of them, that's a whole 'nuther issue. And when one trucker finds a shortcut, he shares it with his fellow truckers, and the next thing you know, you've got too many big rigs coming thru town.

Have any of you been to Cowan's Gap Park? Those roads are windy and one lane each way, and are also a bicycle route. The roads don't have the underlayment for the trucks to use them, but they do anyhow. I can't tell you how many times I've come around a bend in the road to find a big rig on my side, and he won't get back into his lane. One of these days, there's going to be a truck coming from one direction, a car coming from the other direction, and some poor soul on a bicycle between them. I wonder who will lose? Probably both the guy on the bicycle and the car!

maybe i just think practical , if your gonna cross the street do it at a light. and if your gonna ban trucks then ban all trucks and drive yourselves to the nearest interstate to get your stuff, that seems to be what you people are forgetting EVERYTHING with very few exceptions that you buy from a store has been on a truck at one point in time or another

i guess your ignorence is showing weren't you the one talking about how name calling doesn't ad to the dsccussion ?

Nope. If anything it would be called hypocrisy, which I guess is a bit too big a word for me to expect you to use. Heck, you can barely spell well enough to be understood, but I digress. It bears mention that I rarely initiate the name calling, I just respond to insults and personal attacks with insults and personal attacks, though I know I should be more forgiving.

o please 4give the typoes and the 3rd grade edumacation

I haven't forgotten that trucks carry everything I buy at all, but there has to be a reasonable compromise. I also don't think that the "culture" of a town should have to be changed for truckers' convenience.

My husband had property in Capon Bridge until recently, and we had to go thru Berkeley Springs to get to it. The town has been pedestrian friendly since I've been visiting it, and I doubt that was a new development.

You are just passing through Berkeley Springs, the residents LIVE there, and they have the right to determine IF and HOW MUCH they want to change their town, and even if they WANT TO make things more convenient for you. You don't have the right to make that decision for them.

Well said Sheash. Although, I'm not in favor of the ban, the congestion it would add to I-81 and Route 9 would be horriffic.

I think threatening to make people drive out to the interstate to pick up their goods is the wrong kind of attitude for someone who is trying to make a living providing shipping services. If you want to cop an attitude, your customers should simply say "okay, then YOU'RE FIRED!" and move on to somebody who is willing to accommodate the customer's desires. In this day and age, companies and individual business owners need to do everything they can to meet their customers' expectations and desires, or they will be run out of business by others more willing to treat the customer right. If that means keeping their big rigs off of the customers' city streets, then so be it.

But are the local storeowners willing to pay the extra shipping costs? Or will they raise their prices to make the customers foot the bill? I am betting the customers will pay for it. Just a question, isn't j-walking a crime? It is in most places, that’s why there are crosswalks at the corners, and I am not saying make the towns people actually go to the interstate to get their goods, just trying to make a point without the trucks you have nothing that you don't make or grow yourself. But I was serious about if they do ban trucks from coming through town then the trucking companies/drivers should ban the town, I mean if the town is going to inconvenience the drivers then turn about is fair play

We do not need any more trucks on Route 9. There are too many accidents as it is.

No, it's not. As I said before, it's THEIR town, and it's THEIR choice if they want to allow you to make it a shortcut.

And I hate to tell you this, but there is always somebody who has to make a house payment. So if you decide that you want to play that game (turn about is fair play so you just won't deliver stuff there), remember that person who has to make the house payment WILL. You are not irreplaceable.

The sad part is. It`s almost impossable to put in a bypass around Burkly Springs with the way the lay of the land is aroung it. High mountian to the West. Lots of bad ground to the east of town. It would have to start way out just before the Cacapon state park.

If the through truckers want to be able to go through on the basis of it being a U.S. route, then let the U.S. gov't pay to build a bypass. Ultimately, that is the only viable option. Unfortunately, it's not going to happen overnight.

OK we are beating a dead horse here , no one is goig to give on either side of this topic ,

Just like so many topics around here..........