County Sets New Speed Limits After Complaints Over Gravel Truck Traffic

Citizens living on Zapalac Rd. asked Fayette County officials to help alleviate problems with gravel trucks.

Tony Brom and David Zapalac spoke during a public hearing Monday morning over a speed limit change on several county roads including the one they live on – Zapalac Rd. The hearing took place during the Fayette County Commissioners Court meeting on Monday.

“When we first bought our property, the gravel pit wasn’t there,” Brom said. “The gravel pit has been there for a number of years, and since that time, of course, the trucks are destroying the road. With that being said, the speed of some of these trucks, they’re flying down that road. I think that they’re trying to make as many road trips that they can during the day. During the course of the day, some of them are trying to make up lost time.”

Brom said school children live in the vicinity, and a school bus regularly travels the road.

“You have kids on bicycles,” Brom said. “I’ve seen them down that road. Folks walking down that road. And yet those trucks, they’re flying. There’s been two or three instances. I’ve actually, it’s been so excessive, I’ve jumped in my truck. I’ve raced down there to confront the drivers.”

Brom said truck drivers have told him they can drive up to 60 miles per hour on the county road since there is no posted speed limit.

Those drivers are correct. State law sets the “prima facie” speed limit on county roads at 60 miles per hour, unless the county goes through a precise legal process. The Commissioners Court must hold a public hearing and then issue a finding and determination that the “prima facie” speed limit is unsafe or unreasonable. Only then may the County Commissioner erect a speed limit sign enforceable by law.

Speed wasn’t the only issue Brom raised.

“There’s trash as well,” he said. “There’s trash being thrown out. We’re constantly picking it up.”

“There’s bottles of urine out there,” said David Zapalac, who has lived on Zapalac Rd. most of his life. “They urinate on the road. They throw trash on the road.

“We have a beautiful county,” he added. “People move to this county because of the beauty. If we as a community and as a county don’t do something to limit the activities of these gravel companies, some of you young people won’t recognize this county.”

Zapalac urged the County to enforce not only the new speed limit, but also the existing “No Parking” that have been placed along the road.

“If we’re going to do a speed limit, and I understand resources, but I would request some enforcement,” Zapalac said. “There are ‘No Parking’ signs on that road right now. And there are trucks that park in the middle of the road to tarp and un-tarp.”

Pct. 3 Commissioner Harvey Berckenhoff said that many of the gravel truck drivers are owner-operators or third-party contractors.

“They’re independent truckers, most of them,” Berckenhoff said. “You know how they are. They just kind of come and go. If it was a particular company that said, ‘These are my trucks,’ then you can approach them. But they’re individuals. We get them hauling gravel for us. They do the same thing in our yard. They’ll stop and clean their truck out and they’re gone and we’ll never see them again.”

Pct. 2 Commissioner Clint Sternadel said his crew often finds old 18-wheeler tires dumped in the ditches near the gravel pit.

“Every time we need to shred out there, we know to go pick up tires first or we’ll be ruining a shredder,” Sternadel said.

The hearing concluded and the court voted unanimously to approve an order setting the speed limit on Zapalac Rd. at 40 miles per hour. Three other roads in Pct. 2 were included in the order. The speed limit on Brushy Rd. and Klatt Rd. were also set at 40 miles per hour. The speed limit for Ross Prairie Church Rd. was set at 35 miles per hour.

The Court held another public hearing over the speed limit on Piney Creek Rd. in Pct. 1. A resident on Piney Creek Rd., Anne Perez, spoke in favor of lowering the speed limit to 35 miles per hour, at least for the wooded section of the road with several blind curves.

“We have a number of families that like to walk that road for exercise,” Perez said.

Pct. 1 Commissioner Jason McBroom recommended a speed limit of 35 miles per hour for the entire road. After the hearing, the court voted unanimously in favor of McBroom’s recommendation.