Residents press Phippsburg select board over dump trucks, speeding on Parker Head Road

Phippsburg — Residents raised safety concerns at the Select Board’s June 24 meeting about dump trucks and construction traffic using Parker Head Road, noting speeding, narrow roadway sections and impacts on the village.

A resident asked whether the town knew which company was operating the trucks and whether officials could contact that company; staff said the operator is not yet known. Board members said they will look into the matter and asked that staff (Eric) drive the route to observe conditions. Committee member 4 recommended broadening the net of outreach to identify responsible parties.

Members also discussed digital routing: several people said Google Maps directs traffic through the village on routes to Popham, making the short cut attractive to drivers. A board member recalled that John Churrowski previously submitted a routing request to Google that was not accepted. Staff suggested submitting another request to Google Maps if multiple residents or officials make the case.

Board members emphasized limitations of local authority: they noted that drivers often choose a shorter, newly repaved route and that the town cannot prevent drivers from using local roads when alternate routes are state roads. A staff estimate cited during the exchange said the shortcut was roughly 1.3 miles shorter, though a member noted it could take slightly longer in travel time.

The board agreed to follow up by trying to identify the hauling company, asking staff to document conditions on the route, and exploring whether a routing request to Google would be accepted. No enforcement action or timeline was specified during the meeting.