HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — The sign couldn’t be clearer. At the southern end of Smith Ryals Road, which is south of Plant City, a sign says, “No Thru Trucks Over Two Axles.”
But “Jason,” a neighbor who lives on Smith Ryals Rd. and wants his identity concealed out of fear of retaliation, said trucks pass through there daily.
“It can be every hour you have four or five trucks coming through, and sometimes, you may have one,” he said.
To Jason, the small county road isn’t big enough for constant truck traffic.
“The trucks coming up and down the road creates a lot of hazard because there’s kids, bus stops, and they don’t obey the speed limit,” he said.
Additionally, he said the trucks are tearing up the road itself.
“The potholes can actually damage tires and rims. I’ve had a tire flatten because of the potholes,” the neighbor said.
His theory is that trucks are using the road to avoid a weigh station on nearby State Road 60.
“That they can get stopped at and get fined or delayed, and this is just a quicker route to where they’re going,” he said.
His hope is that truckers will do the right thing, and if not, he hopes Hillsborough County can do more before the road gets even bumpier.
“Most people just can’t go and buy a tire that day,” he said. “Money’s tight nowadays.”
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office sent ABC Action News a statement that says, “HCSO is aware of this issue and has been working on a resolution with the County Attorney, County Traffic Engineers, and Public Works.”
