Finger Lakes Railway has a proposal to alleviate controversial truck traffic in the Finger Lakes area. The trucks bring trash from the metro New York area to a Seneca Falls landfill. A local group wants them gone.
The Geneva-based railway wants to build an extension from its existing line to deliver the garbage loads to Seneca Meadows, the landfill that takes the deliveries. This would reduce trucks along the Finger Lakes roadways, an issue that’s brought about a government-proposed restriction on larger trucks on seven area roads.
The strategy would also be “a good business opportunity,” said Mike Smith, the railway’s president. Smith said his company has discussed the solution with county officials and the landfill.
A local group has challenged truckers’ rights to use the roads, claiming the trucks are a safety and environmental hazard, using the Finger Lakes roads as a short cut to Seneca Meadows. The New York Motor Truck Association (NYMTA) and Farm Bureau oppose the legislation.
Farm Bureau spokesman Skip Jenson said the regulations are not clear and would end in local officers stopping trucks for cargo and destination checks. This would be taking more time and money from the truckers and putting local businesses in a harder spot, said Jenson.
NYMTA wants to help find a workable answer to the situation, said spokeswoman Kendra Adams, but the added regulations wouldn’t lessen the truck traffic in a big way.
“A lot of those trucks are on there legitimately already,” said Adams.
The comment period for the proposed ban is Monday, Dec. 14.
Source: The Post Standard: Railroad seeks money to build line that could eliminate trucking through Finger Lakes area
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