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Council approves temporary truck ban on Harrison Road near Glen Karen crosswalk
Summary
The council unanimously adopted Traffic Control Order 500 to prohibit Class 8–13 trucks on Harrison Road between Grand River and Saginaw Highway after resident concerns about truck traffic near a school crosswalk; staff will post signage and continue engineering study.
The East Lansing City Council unanimously approved a truck restriction on Harrison Road between Grand River Avenue and Saginaw Highway, adopting Traffic Control Order 500 to prohibit operation of Federal Highway vehicle classifications 8 through 13 on that stretch.
Why it matters: Residents of the Glencaron Elementary area told the Transportation Commission and council that heavy truck traffic and speeding create a safety hazard at a school crosswalk. Multiple parents and neighborhood representatives urged immediate action to protect children and crossing guards.
What the council did: After staff presented recent classification and speed counts and described a planned phased rehabilitation of Harrison Road, the council voted to adopt a restriction on larger trucks. The measure bans class-8-and-up trucks (tractor-trailers and larger combinations) on Harrison Road between Grand River and Saginaw. The council instructed staff to install signage promptly.
Data and caveats: Engineering staff said classification counts collected Sept. 9–11 showed only a small number of class-8-and-up trucks on the route during that sampling window (typically one to six per day), and staff recommended waiting for final consultant recommendations on November 18. Council chose to act now to address urgent safety concerns; staff noted any restriction is subject to further study and the city will monitor diverted traffic on adjacent routes.
Next steps: Public Works will erect signage and enforce the truck restriction; the consultant's full corridor recommendations will be reviewed with residents at a Nov. 10 neighborhood meeting and with the Transportation Commission on Nov. 12, then return to council Nov. 18.
Ending note: The truck restriction is a local traffic-control measure intended to reduce large-truck exposure at a school crosswalk; staff will continue data collection and community outreach as rehabilitation design proceeds.
