Rutland Herald

Wallingford officials also worried about truck route

February 11, 2000
By SANDI SWITZER Herald Correspondent

WALLINGFORD - A group of citizens opposed to OMYA Inc.'s proposal to activate a dormant quarry in Danby may have some allies in Wallingford.

The Wallingford Select Board will send a letter to OMYA, Danby, Tinmouth and state officials expressing concern regarding a proposed truck haul route from the Dutch Hill quarry through Wallingford to a processing plant in Florence.

Select Board members said at a meeting this week that the use of Route 140 could present many problems for pedestrians, motorists and business owners throughout the village.

"We've got to take a look at this just as a safety issue," Selectman Jay Johnstone said.

In a letter Jan. 13 to Danby officials, OMYA indicated that 18-wheel, five-axle dump trucks loaded with crushed marble ore will exit the Jobe Phillips Quarry property, travel from the East Tinmouth Road to Route 140 into Wallingford, and from there travel Route 7 through Rutland and Pittsford to Florence.

The company estimated a maximum of 40 round-trips a day, six days a week, and expected a loaded truck to weigh approximately 76,000 pounds.

"That's high-risk traffic through a dense residential area," Johnstone said.

He added that trucks using Route 140 would travel close to town recreational facilities, the transfer station and heavily used residential access roads.

"I do think (Route) 140 is something OMYA would need to know about so they can address these issues," Johnstone said.

Selectman Hans Huessy commented that truck air brakes, horns and dust also present quality-of-life issues.

"The business owners are going to be very upset about this going through," he said.

At a recent Select Board meeting in Danby, officials agreed not to support OMYA's Act 250 application until more information is available. The board agreed to the action after receiving a petition signed by about 70 local residents opposed to the proposal.

Marshall Squier, chairman of the Tinmouth Planning Commission, said OMYA trucks were not welcome in that town, and officials would even consider giving up state aid to control the use of the roads.