DALTON, Mass. — Now the Orchard Road has been paved, the neighborhood is facing a new problem — commercial vehicles. 

 

The road, which is often used as a connector to Route 9, was plagued with potholes and flooding because of its undersized drainage pipes. This past summer, the Highway Department had it repaved and added sidewalks. 

 

Since then, the road has seen an increase in tractor trailers cutting through from Route 8 to Route 9, during which they have been using their Jake brake, resident Carrie Thomson wrote to the town. 

 

"This is happening all hours of the day and night. Prior to the road being done it was never a problem, I have lived here for over 10 years without an issue until now," she said in her email. 

 

 

Thomson proposed the town post signage saying "no Jake brake usage" on multiple spots along the road. 

 

She acknowledged that it may be difficult for the Police Department to enforce the signage because the incidents happen at random times throughout the day. 

 

The caveat to implementing this signage, however, is that town bylaws restricts the operation of heavy commercial vehicles carrying more than 2 1/2 tons from using the road. 

 

The exceptions to this law are vehicles making deliveries or collections to properties on the street or adjoining streets that cannot be accessed otherwise; vehicles involved in the construction or maintenance of streets or utilities; and vehicles owned by federal, state, municipal, or public service entities.

 

"There are signage and weight restrictions prohibiting commercial vehicles on Orchard Street, so it's probably not appropriate to say, please don't use your Jake brake when you're not allowed on the road," Town Manager Eric Anderson told the commission. 

 

Police Chief Deanna Strout will increase patrols to try reducing the usage of the roads by vehicles that exceed the weight restriction, Anderson said.