All of the heavy industrial multi-axle trucks going to and from North Buncombe Quarry and APAC Asphalt plant at the west end of Goldview Road, use our R1-zoned residential neighborhood as a “short-cut” to I-26/Exit 21.  The 2-mile short-cut route is from Woodland Hills/New Stock Rd, to Aiken, to the edge of our R1-zoned residential neighborhood on Goldview Road, and back again. 

Our roads are narrower than the overall width of multi-axle trucks, with no shoulders, and few places to pull over. Our roads provide the only access into and out of our properties, forcing us to drive between trucks when going in and out of our neighborhood.  Our roads provide the only access for assistive vehicles, emergency vehicles, and other residential service vehicles; this is also a school bus route.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the sheer mass and size of multi-axle trucks cause catastrophic damage to smaller vehicles.  Oversized trucks have long stopping distances - at least 7 seconds traveling 35 mph, or the length of 1 football field; large blind spots at the front, back and sides; limited sightlines for surrounding cars; and wide turning radii.  The high volume of oversized trucks on our narrow roads grossly amplifies these risks.

The short-cut route through our neighborhood has 2 blind hills and 5 blind corners.  Trucks cannot navigate our road curves without crossing over the center yellow line, causing passenger vehicles to have to swerve off the road and out of the way.  Cars become "sandwiched" between trucks following at unsafe distances.  The truck heights makes them prone to roll-overs when fully loaded.  Speeding is common, particularly late in the day, and during hours when the truck volume is highest. 

On a typical weekday between 4:30am and 6pm, 700 to 1400 trucks pass in front of 82 homes along the 2-mile short-cut route.  When fully loaded, the trucks weigh between 20 and 40 tons.  The trucks disrupt traffic flow and access for families in over 200 other homes on adjacent side streets.   During some hours, there are more than 2 trucks per minute, continuing across consecutive hours.   The types of trucks on our roads are 3-to-7 axle dump trucks, 45'+ long bed haulers, tankers, and “18-wheelers.”  

The trucks on our roads are completely unmonitored.  The vast majority of trucks driving through our neighborhood are owned by private contractors for whom the quarry and asphalt plant have no responsibility.  We have seen many with no visible license plate on the front or back bumper. 

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reports that one truck axle carrying 18,000 pounds does 5,000 times more damage than an automobile axle carrying 2,000 pounds.  The cracks, ruts, and potholes in our roads cause water to pool during rain storms, increasing risks of hydroplaning, even when trucks are not on our roads.

The daily flow of trucks endangers our lives and damages our neighborhood infrastructure.  Truck noise and diesel fumes, beginning before dawn, disrupts the normal lives of families throughout our neighborhood, compromises our health, and depreciates our property values.

We are forced to seek a solution to protect the health, safety and property of residents in our R1-zoned residential neighborhood. 

We respectfully urge NCDOT, Buncombe County, and our local authorities, to enact an ordinance to prohibit trucks with 3 or more axles on Goldview Road From Aiken to the edge of our R1-zoned residential neighborhood.

Sign this petition now to show your support for this critical change.