Pull down or kill the proposed ordinance to increase time for 18-wheelers on Hampton Blvd from 10 hrs (6A – 4P) to 13 hrs (6A-7P): Big trucks do not belong on a thoroughfare that bisects residential neighborhoods and ODU and runs through an elementary school zone.
Why is this important?
In the first place, huge 18-wheelers hauling containers to the port terminals do not belong on a street that bisects residential neighborhoods, including my own, the ODU campus and two school zones, as the public made clear when this issue last surfaced in 2007. Furthermore, those trucks expose residents and homeowners to disturbing noise, vibration that undermines the foundations of homes and businesses, raise public safety issues, especially for students at Larchmont Elementary, ODU and Taylor Elementary and expose people to toxic diesel soot that can penetrate deep into the lungs, which has been linked to severe respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses, chronic bronchitis, cancer, and premature death. Mayor Fraim and the Council have a primary duty to protect people’s right to the quiet, peaceful enjoyment of their homes and neighborhoods, while not being poisoned by noxious fumes and suffering life threatening gridlock. The needs of the neighborhoods and the community come before corporate profits and the convenience of the Port Authority.
