Pittsylvania County votes to put brakes on big rigs; now goes to VDOT

CHATHAM — The Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors voted Monday night to ask the state transportation department to restrict heavy-truck traffic on Rockford School Road, Blue Ridge Drive and Prospect Road in Hurt.

The unanimous vote came after two public hearings, one last month and the other Monday night, during which residents said those roads were too narrow for large trucks.

Staunton River Supervisor Marshall Ecker, as well as Hurt residents and officials, had complained about heavy-truck traffic on Blue Ridge Drive and Prospect Road traveling to and from Multitrade Virginia Power Plant. Tractor trailers hauling wood chips that fuel the plant in Hurt from U.S. 29 enter Rockford School Road and travel onto Blue Ridge Drive, which becomes Prospect Road.

The board held a public hearing Sept. 8 on whether to restrict truck traffic there, but had to re-schedule a hearing for Monday because an alternate route the county proposed includes a bridge with weight limits over the Staunton River.

The board proposed two alternate routes for the restricted truck traffic — one would have trucks take U.S. 29 to Va. 43 (Bedford Avenue) in Altavista and then to 7th Street to Pittsylvania Avenue, said Pittsylvania County Administrator Dan Sleeper. The other would direct trucks from U.S. 29 to the final Altavista exit north, through Altavista and to Pittsylvania Avenue to get to the plant.

Altavista Mayor Rudy Burgess said last week the town does not want tractor trailers on Bedford Avenue in the town. Also, the town has an agreement with Dominion Power for trucks coming from Gretna and Chatham to enter Altavista on Business U.S. 29 and get onto Pittsylvania Avenue, Burgess said.

The board will make a request to the Virginia Department of Transportation, that would then erect signs limiting access on those roads if the request is approved. In consideration of Altavista, Ecker presented a motion stipulating that the board ask the Virginia Department of Transportation to consider the second alternate route first.

In another matter, the town voted to donate land to the Northern Pittsylvania County Food Center Inc. The land includes 2.14 acres at the former Gretna Middle School. The center wants to construct a warehouse on the property for use as a food distribution center.

The food center presently operates out of the Weal Presbyterian Church building west of Chatham. The center has up to 130 volunteers and hands out food to needy families north of Tightsqueeze every month.

Frank Fuller, speaking on behalf of the center during a public hearing Monday night, said the church’s floors are weak and the building is old. The organizations handled 131,000 pounds of food last year, Fuller said.

The board unanimously approved the donation, with the stipulation that the property reverts to the county if the organization disbands or does not construct a building there in two years.