Effort underway to ban truck traffic on Boinay Hill

NORTH CANAAN — A request to the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to ban through-truck traffic from Boinay Hill Road is poised for approval.

First Selectman Douglas Humes said at Monday’s board meeting that the town has received confirmation that the request was received. It will be considered in the department’s next review session.

“I believe it will pass,� Humes said.

The change is part of an effort to address issues with quarry and other heavy trucks that use Sand Road and Boinay Hill Road. Neither road is up to the wear and tear, or wide enough in some places to allow trucks and cars to safely pass.

Humes noted the intersection of the two, especially where trucks turn right off of Boinay Hill, is plagued with potholes.

“The road is being destroyed there,� he said. “We can at least prevent that.�

A through-truck ban means only trucks headed for a destination on that road are allowed to use it.

Trucks coming from the west on Route 44 will now have to detour south on Route 126 to the Falls Village end of  Sand Road, or continue on Route 44 into the center of North Canaan to Route 7 south and Sand Road.

Two limestone quarries are located on the Falls Village end of Sand Road. A ban on through-trucks on Sand Road would make little difference as trucks heading for the quarries would still be allowed. Humes said the designation would not be allowed, anyway, since it is a connector road between two state highways (routes 7 and 126).