AVALON – The borough is considering requiring that trucks carrying construction or landscaping debris through town have secure coverings.
Residents have persistently complained to the Borough Council about littering of borough streets and waterways with material that blows off uncovered trucks as it is being transported to a disposal site.
The problem has become worse with weight restrictions on the Stone Harbor 96th Street bridge, forcing transport trucks and trailers from that borough to drive through Avalon in order to use Avalon Boulevard as a means off the island.
What was discussed at the council’s Nov. 18 meeting was an amendment to the borough’s building and construction ordinances that will require a secure covering for all trucks, trailers and pickups used to transport construction or landscape debris on the streets of the borough. The requirement would apply regardless of the municipality in which the transport originated.
Police Chief Jeffrey Christopher said such an ordinance would provide greater flexibility to the police, who under existing law must actually see material blowing off a vehicle in order to take action. “Now we would be able to take action based on the presence or non-presence of a cover,” he said.
The council supported having the borough administration develop the appropriate ordinance amendments.
Contact the reporter, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.
