Thursday, April 9, 1998
FORT MITCHELL -- In the week since the I-71 - 75 truck ban started, authorities have stopped dozens of violators.
Kenton County Police Capt. Ed Butler estimated that his agency has written 12-15 citations. He said officers have probably stopped a total of 30 to 40 trucks.
"I'd say more than half have been legitimate."
Unlike the Crescent Springs department, which is pulling over trucks only for other probable cause, such as speeding, Kenton officers are operating under the belief that just being inside the I-275 beltway constitutes probable cause.
"We've been making a lot of stops along with the department of transportation vehicle enforcement," said Fort Mitchell Police Chief Don Delaney.
Truckers are spreading the word about the ban by CB radio and at truck stops, said Crescent Springs Police Chief George Ripberger. Truck driver Fred Barth doesn't seem to mind driving an extra 15 minutes around I-75 to deliver goods in Cincinnati.
"It's not a big deal," said the KLLM trucking company employee, who stopped at the Travel Centers of America Truck Stop in Florence Wednesday for lunch. "It takes me an extra 10 to 15 minutes to drive around the loop."
The temporary truck diversion, in effect until sometime in 2000, was ordered as a precaution because of three construction projects: redecking of the Brent Spence Bridge, the Fort Washington Way project in Cincinnati and work on the S-curve in Fort Mitchell. Trucks using the highways must show proof that they have local stops. Other trucks and recreational vehicles are supposed to use I-275.
"If something happens here today, they'll know about it tomorrow on the West Coast," Mr. Barth said. "I knew about it 400 miles south of here because of other drivers telling me about it."
Their system seems to be working. Kenton County law officials have issued only 15 citations since the ban began, according to Kenton County District Court records.
Col. Ken Frost, director of the Kentucky Motor Vehicle Enforcement Department in Frankfort, said his department has mostly issued verbal warnings to truckers.
"I've got an officer at the bridge in that area 24 hours a day," Col. Frost said. "If they see a truck or trailer, we can stop them to see if they have business in Covington, or Cincinnati."
