Big trucks aren't allowed to use this narrow, winding York County road. They won't stop

On a recent warm morning, Kevin Zygmunt recorded with his cell phone at least half a dozen tractor-trailers that traveled past his home within an hour on Locust Point Road in Conewago Township.

Signs posted on the state-owned road that runs parallel to Interstate 83 warn that trucks with trailers over 30 feet in length are prohibited − except for local deliveries.

But the tractor-trailers just keep coming − traveling to and from the I-83 interchange at Zions View/Strinestown and the warehouses in neighboring municipalities.

"We get it all day long − even in the middle of the night," Zygmunt said.

Zygmunt said he has reached out to township officials, Northern York County Regional Police, the state Department of Transportation and even the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in hopes of stopping the trucks from using the road, but it hasn't worked.

'Someone's going to get hit − and maybe really hurt'

In 2018, a Pennsylvania law took effect that opened many state- and municipal-owned roads to larger vehicles unless signs prohibit it.

In the fall of 2022, Conewago Township and PennDOT decided to restrict the truck traffic on Locust Point Road between Bowers Bridge Road and the Susquehanna Trail because of some geometric limitations, PennDOT spokesman Dave Thompson said.

PennDOT posted signs last year warning drivers of the restrictions.

Despite the signs, all sorts of prohibited vehicles continue to travel the road: car carriers, trucks hauling shipping containers, and pickups pulling gooseneck trailers, Zygmunt said. They come from everywhere, including California, Washington and Texas.

Zygmunt and his neighbor, Glenn Forry, pointed out that the tractor-trailers cannot even stay in their lane. Their wheels travel over the double yellow line into the opposing lane, especially where the road becomes curvy. The trucks take up both lanes on a nearby sharp corner.

"My main concern someone's going to get hit − and maybe really hurt − one of these days because they can't pass each other hardly even on the road," Forry said.

A couple of years ago, a truck hit an old one-room school house that sits near the road. More recently, a box truck drove off the road and became stuck at the edge of Zygmunt's property.

Zygmunt had to go out and fix the ruts himself, he said, because the driver of the truck didn't have insurance.

Police issue citations to drivers

The truck traffic is expected to use the Susquehanna Trail and East Canal Road to reach the industrial parks, Northern Regional Police Lt. Gregg Anderson said.

But truck drivers likely see Locust Point Road as a way to circumvent the traffic on the Susquehanna Trail to save themselves a few extra minutes in their travels, Zygmunt said.

"If you go up on Susquehanna Trail at the wrong time of day, you're not going anywhere," he said.

Conewago Township manager Joshua Kopp says they have fielded calls from upset residents and reported problems to the state. Officials and police believe the truck drivers' GPSs direct them to take Locust Point Road.

"I don't know how to stop the trucks from coming down there," Kopp said. "We've posted as much as we can."

Police also have stopped drivers to cite them or issue a warning.

Officers have written 64 tickets and issued six warning cards since August, Anderson said. Police have conducted 161 patrol checks since September.

Police cited the driver who was stuck for hours at the edge of Zygmunt's property. The man, who is from the Bronx, New York, has pleaded not guilty and has a hearing in early April, court records show.

Reaching out to state and federal agencies for help

Zygmunt has become so frustrated with the situation that he has reached out to PennDOT and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. In addition, he had contacted trucking companies to no avail.

PennDOT says police enforcement of the posted signage is needed to address the prohibited truck traffic.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration advised him to call 911 if he sees a prohibited truck.

His next step, Zygmunt said, will be addressing the situation with state and federal legislators.

Officers will continue to keep checking for prohibited trucks on Locust Point Road.

"Hopefully, the word gets out," Anderson said.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Trucks using prohibited road in Conewago Township to reach warehouses