Bellefontaine Police Chief Chris Marlow says the department has ramped up patrols in the downtown area after numerous incidents of semi-trucks driving on Main Street instead of using the Route 68 bypass.
Chief Marlow says increased patrols are part of a broader effort to address ongoing safety concerns caused by out-of-route tractor-trailers, and recent incidents are just one of several reasons for the boost.
“In response to ongoing concerns with safety raised by citizens, business owners, as well as the city council and administration, the Bellefontaine Police Department has endeavored, when staffing permits, to commit patrols to the downtown area to address consistent traffic enforcement of tractor-trailers passing through the area. Officers are being diligent to discern which have legitimate business downtown and which are circumventing the Route 68 bypass and/or simply being negligent. Although I do not look for this to be a solution, it will hopefully mitigate the issue and alleviate some of the concerns”.
Last week, officers responded to a hit-skip incident at the intersection of Main Street and Columbus Avenue, where a semi-truck struck a pedestrian walk sign.
The semi continued southbound before officers caught up with the vehicle several blocks later.
The driver explained that his GPS had routed him through downtown Bellefontaine instead of the bypass, requiring a wide turn onto South Main Street from West Columbus Avenue due to the narrow lanes.
A witness provided video showing the semi striking the pedestrian signal.
The driver was cited for hit-skip, failure to control, and failure to obey traffic control devices.
Chief Marlow says this is just one example of many situations where tractor-trailers create safety risks downtown, prompting the department’s increased patrol and enforcement efforts.
