Council considers weight limits on streets

SHARPSVILLE, Pa. -- Borough council is considering imposing weight limits for travel on High and Shenango streets.
Council voted Wednesday to advertise an ordinance imposing a 10,000-pound weight limit for vehicles on those streets, except for trucks making local deliveries.
The issue first surfaced at the August council meeting and council President Jack Cardwell said at the time that some trucks hauling aggregate material from SQP Industries on Sixth Street were traveling along residential streets, causing damage.
Also, the trucks didn't have their loads covered as required by borough ordinance, he said.
Mayor Kenneth Robertson said borough officials met with SQP representatives Monday and assured them the borough isn't against the company's doing business, but it must protect its residential streets.
The company was advised to have haulers use Sixth and Main streets as their travel routes because those roads are designed for heavier vehicles, Robertson said.
In other business, council authorized Borough Manager Michael Wilson to explore the possibility of using $40,000 allocated to Sharpsville for a bike/hike trail for some other purpose.
Bids and engineering estimates for the proposed trail and retaining wall along Walnut Street came in much higher than the $40,000 in federal funding, and there is a possibility the federal government will allow Sharpsville to divert that money to some other purpose, Robertson said.