Residents urge enforcement and better signage to curb truck 'Jake brake' noise on Clark Street

Residents told the Mexico City Council on June 23 that heavy‑truck engine braking, commonly called “Jake brakes,” on Clark Street has become louder and more frequent and asked the council to enforce noise rules and improve signage at highway entrances.

“I was 16 years old and I hauling grain for my dad... that's meant for inclines, like in mountains and hilly spaces, and we live on the prairie,” said Irish Shoemaker, who said she lives at 5 Branchwood Road. She and her husband, Mike Shoemaker, said the noise has increased in recent years and that new neighbors have said they might move if the issue persists. The Shoemakers said they canvassed neighbors and found broad support for action and that some highway entry points lacked visible noise‑ordinance signage.

Mike Shoemaker said the couple walked the city's entrances and found noise‑ordinance signs at many points but not at State Highway 54 East and Highway 54 South; they recommended larger signs on entry corridors and suggested enforcement and warnings might deter the behavior. A council member asked whether the city has an ordinance addressing the behavior; staff replied that one exists (the transcript records an abbreviated staff confirmation but not the ordinance text or enforcement plan).

The Shoemakers requested that the city consider placing signs in high‑visibility places such as the milling (truck line) location where drivers wait, giving truck drivers ample time to see notices. The meeting record shows the item was raised during public comment; no formal enforcement action or staff directive was recorded at the meeting.