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Spokane County bans through trucks over 16,000 lbs on Craig, Dino roads
Summary
The Spokane County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a code change banning through trucks over 16,000 pounds on sections of Craig and Dino roads, with exemptions for local businesses, deliveries and residents; residents and businesses urged the county to mitigate diversion impacts.
Spokane County commissioners voted unanimously on Feb. 17 to revise county traffic code 46.440.0802 to prohibit trucks over 16,000 pounds from using designated stretches of Craig and Dino roads.
The county engineer's recommendation, presented by Matt Zaracore of Spokane County Public Works, cited sections of Craig and Dino as former farm-to-market roads not constructed to handle heavy truck traffic. Zaracore said the restriction is intended "to limit heavy truck traffic that does the vast majority of the damage" and to encourage heavier vehicles to use Hayford Road and Highway 2, which have been rebuilt to higher standards.
Local residents and business owners provided mixed testimony. Carol Kaplan, who lives at Rambo and Dino, urged the board to place signs and said the trucks produce dust that is "a health hazard, actually." David Lundgren and other residents warned the restriction could divert traffic onto Rambo and other local streets, adding mileage and congestion; Lundgren estimated detours could add about "10 miles" and roughly "20 minutes" to some routes. Jason Bealer, who said he represents Busy Bee, a business on Craig Road, asked whether the proposal would bar all trucks over 16,000 pounds or only through traffic, noting his customers use the road and that his business has operated there for more than 30 years.
Zaracore told the board that local traffic and vehicles with destinations on the restricted segments are exempt and do not need permits: "Busy Bee, their customers coming and going, they have an exception. They don't need a permit to do that." He said residential drivers who take trucks home and deliveries for construction are likewise allowed. Zaracore also acknowledged diversion concerns but said full reconstruction would be cost prohibitive — "millions of dollars a mile" — and that limiting heavy through-truck traffic is a way to preserve the pavement.
A commissioner moved to accept the county engineer's recommendation and revise Spokane County traffic code 46.440.0802; the motion was seconded and approved unanimously.
The change is permanent, per staff, and county staff said they will continue outreach to businesses and operators affected by the change. Zaracore said he would be available to speak with impacted owners after the meeting.
Votes at a glance: motion to adopt the county engineer's recommendation on item 5a passed unanimously.
