Big rigs and bikes — Council discusses control over the use of Main Street

Newcastle is looking into two completely different sets of concerns that have been expressed over the use of Main Street, and the council may seek to manage the existence of both commercial truck traffic and bicycles on the thoroughfare. 

By examining city ordinances addressing the use of bicycles on sidewalks and commercial truck traffic on Main Street, the council’s street committee plans to take a more in-depth look at the rules surrounding both modes of transport and will consider potential signage setting limitations for such use. 

Truck traffic

According to Police Chief Derek Thompson, the Newcastle Police Department has received a lot of complaints about the amount of commercial truck traffic on West Main Street. The situation has apparently worsened while the Highway 16 Bypass has been under construction, and in the hopes of addressing the issue, he said, he put information out on Facebook explaining the ordinances. 

“We have recently seen a significant increase in commercial truck traffic on S. Summit Ave. and W. Main Street through the downtown area. We have been receiving complaints from citizens, and have had safety concerns regarding heavy truck traffic in this area,” Thompson said in the post. “The complaints and concerns regarding the truck traffic are largely due to narrow roadways and heavy pedestrian traffic in the area of concern.”

He noted that he understands the project on the Bypass is a big “pain-in-the … rear,” especially for commercial vehicles. But, with an ordinance in place restricting use of Main Street for vehicles over 35,000 pounds, Thompson said the issue must be addressed. 

“We are asking drivers of commercial vehicles/trucks to stay on the Bypass Road as you travel through Newcastle. We would like to resolve this issue in the least invasive and punitive way possible, so we are asking drivers for their compliance with the truck traffic ordinance when traveling through town,” Thompson said. “Hopefully, the construction will be completed soon and business will go back to normal.”

Noted in the ordinance is a list of motor vehicles that are excluded from the ordinance, including school buses, any truck being needed and used for pickup or delivery in the city, city trucks, any truck being needed and used attendant to a construction project in the city and any truck being needed and used attendant to the furnishing of necessary services, including maintenance, within the city. 

In response to assumptions that the city could not restrict traffic on Main Street because it is a highway, Thompson shared Wyoming Statute 31-5-108 regarding the city’s ability to establish restrictions. 

The ordinance says that in addition to state laws, local authorities may “adopt by ordinance, traffic regulations for all streets within their city limits and highways under their corporate jurisdiction and shall have the express authority to enforce the traffic regulations so adopted, by action in their respective local municipal courts.”

According to Thompson, the sentiment of the commercial truck drivers is that they will not abide by the law until signs are placed stating the limitations. He said he learned this after stopping a commercial truck driver. 

“He basically said that all the drivers he spoke to were not going to stop going down that street until we put up some signage saying they were not allowed to,” Thompson said. 

He added that he did double check and the route coming off of Washington onto South Summit has regulatory signage that states the truck route is the left lane, as well as a sign while going to the south and east with language prohibiting trucks over 35,000 pounds. 

Thompson said that the lack of signage does not preclude the department from enforcing the ordinance, but noted that he would like the council to consider options. Mayor Tyrel Owens suggested a streets committee meeting to come up with a recommendation for the board. 

Bikes on sidewalks

The council also discussed the use of Main Street sidewalks by bicycle riders after Councilman Chris Kenney suggested the council put signs up stating the restrictions on the sidewalks. 

“You know, you got a 10-, 11- or 12-year-old kid. How is he supposed to know that he can’t ride on the sidewalk?” Kenney asked. 

Kenney broached the subject in response to complaints that have been aired over bicycle traffic on downtown sidewalks, and noted that the city could “tune” the ordinance back and limit the law prohibiting bicycles on sidewalks to just Main Street, where they may endanger patrons coming in and out of businesses. 

According to Newcastle ordinance Sec. 16-15 - Riding upon sidewalk or roadway, “no person shall ride or propel a bicycle upon any sidewalk, except to cross such sidewalk at crosswalks, nor upon the roadway of any street or highway, except in a careful and prudent manner and unless such person shall be capable of efficient control and operation of such bicycle.” 

Other ordinances regarding bicycles limit riding in a manner that would interfere with other pedestrians and riding faster than is reasonable and proper. 

During the discussion, a citizen in attendance questioned the city’s ability to limit the use of the sidewalks. This person said that, before the sidewalks were widened, the city tried to keep bikes off the sidewalks, but said that he believed that the sidewalks were actually widened to provide room for both pedestrians and bicyclists. 

“I’m not saying that that’s a good thing, bad thing or what, but it was to kind of even out the pedestrian and the bike. Am I wrong?” the person asked. 

Councilman Daren Downs said that the problem is that kids get going up to 30 miles per hour and show no respect for anybody that is walking on Main Street. He said that the city has been talking about it for five years now and nothing has been done. 

Downs reported that there was an incident in which a lady’s hip was broken after she was hit by a bicycle on Main Street. 

“But then I’ve got parents that say they don’t want them on the street. Then find another place to ride your bike. Well, I think that we mentioned we have another place, right?,” Downs said, speaking of earlier reference to the miles of bike path spread across Newcastle. 

This discussion on the bike path led another constituent to question what was designated as a bike path, and said that it was his understanding that the sidewalks were widened to incorporate them into the plan. 

Public works supervisor Greg Stumpff confirmed that the sidewalks on Main Street are listed as part of the bike path on the Newcastle bike path master plan. 

Owens acknowledged that the question of bicycles on Main Street is not an issue the city will be able to fix immediately, but suggested that it is something the council will need to address at some point. 

“So, let’s go ahead and send that to committee and then we can try to come up with a suggestion at the next council meeting, but it might take more time than that,” Owens said.