North Ridgeville resident urges stronger patrols as heavy truck traffic damages Sugar Ridge Road

A North Ridgeville resident told City Council on March 3 that heavy truck traffic is increasingly damaging local roads and that police enforcement is inconsistent.

Resident Albert Craig said trucks have been using Sugar Ridge Road and Race Road regularly and that the new pavement on Sugar Ridge Road—paved last fall—already shows damage. “That nice new pavement that's been put on Sugar Ridge Road last fall it's already been busted up in several places,” Craig said. He described repeated incidents in which neighbors called police after trucks passed; in at least one case, an officer stopped a truck but let it go without a ticket.

Craig urged additional patrols at key cut-through locations, specifically Race Road and Sugar Ridge Road, because he said trucks are using Chestnut Ridge Road and other local streets to avoid Route 83. He described speeding cars and motorcycles—“doing a wheelie…doing 60, 70 miles an hour”—and said the combination of heavy axle loads and seasonal ground softening is worsening pavement deterioration.

The comments were made during the lobby session, the portion of the meeting set aside for public comment. Council took no immediate formal action during the meeting on Craig’s remarks; the lobby session closed after his statement and the meeting proceeded to administrator reports and agenda business.

Craig said he and neighbors have documented incidents with photos and that repeated calls to the police department have not produced consistent enforcement. He warned that continued heavy truck use will increase repair costs for the city and urged officials to prioritize enforcement at the Race Road/Sugar Ridge intersection.

Council did not announce a follow-up action during the meeting. The administration later discussed other agenda items during the same session, including staffing and equipment purchases, but did not link a concrete next step to Craig’s remarks on March 3.