Eighteeen wheelers that try to get up Schooley's Mountain
Why is it that trucks are allowed to use Schooley's Mountain. Another accident this morning where a truck tried to get up the hill and couldn't. Ended up backing down and demolishing the side of a car almost running it over. I don't get it.
KarenM 
I was wondering why it was closed this morning....and figured it was another truck situation.
skeeter 18 Wheelers are NOT allowed on Schooleys Mtn Rd. The problem is the way the ordinance is written for a truck to be ticketed it must be weighed and currently there is no way to do this effectively.
These trucks are a menace and need to be rerouted before more people are killed.
Mark A lot of trucking companies are putting the GPS systems in the trucks telling the drivers which is the best route to go to their destination instead of giving them written directions at the company when they are dispatched. Trucks can make it up Schooleys Mountain when not loaded fine but loaded is obviously a different story and definitely a unsafe situation. That might be a reason also for so many problems at the culvert on Grand Avenue that does not accomodate large trucks to pass through yet the GPS tells them to go that way. I know there are also road signs at both of these problem areas so really no good excuse other than listening to what the GPS is telling them to do. I am also not saying this is the reason trucking accidents are happening...but it is a thought..
joyful Actually he almost crushed two cars.I saw it about ten minutes after it happened.I've seen truck try to make that turn and go up the hill,only to have the belly of the truck drag along the ground and have to stop and try to back down the hill.I guess Long Valley won't be happy until someone gets killed.
Jetsnut I think any trucker who causes schooley's mountain to close because they can not drive up it or they get stuck. Should receive a heavy fine for the problems they cause the other people/drivers and the police who have to clean it up.
Double LL I totally agree they should get a fine. That way word will get around and they will avoid that road.
yes trucks are bad going up the hill, and that is why when we see one trying it , it is time get out of way by giving more space.
i do this as a matter of course, if i see a truck going uphill into that hairpin turn i think right away; 'if he has to back down the hill does he have enough room?'
i start giving more and more space until i think there is enough room for an emergency maneuver.
i have seen many folks tailgating the big trucks right at that turn. that's not a real smart defensive driving skill. just asking for trouble.
give the space!
BrotherDog BD,
I'm glad you brought that up. I was wondering how close the car was following the truck. It's not the car's fault that the truck had to back up, but driving too close behind a truck, especially on a road like that, leaves you with no escape route...
Lori...since '73 I heard that the cars were damaged because they tried to drive around the truck as he tried to back the truck down.
indy5
cosmo Schooley's Mountain Rd has a 20 ton WEIGHT limit , not a LENGTH limit. The average TT empty weighs between 15-19 tons. Loaded straight trucks, dump trucks and/or roll off trucks can weigh far more than 20 tons..up to 40 tons and they are much smaller in length.
It is not a tractor trailer that is the problem, it is the type of vehicle it is. The average dry van, reefer, flat bed TT empty or with a light load can travel on the road with no issues. A car carrier however might not be able to because the trailer frame has little clearance from the road therefore it could get caught turning on the uphill. Roads that do not permit TT usually have signs such as , 30 ft length limit, 10 ton weight limit or simply no tractor trailers allowed etc. If it is not over 20 tons, its not illegal. And yes , State Police do carry portable scales. They routinely have diesel truck inspections on rt 57 and they use portable scales. The only trucks that I've seen travel thru there loaded & obviously over the 20 ton weight limit are the dump trucks hauling the salt to put on that same road you will be traveling on.
darluggh You see that a lot over on Grand Ave. You have these trucks getting off of 80 in allamuchy that are trying to deliver to walmart or some store near there and they get to the 10 foot 8 inch one lane bridge and they stop in the middle of the road making people back up and such. i think there should be a sign posted right at that intersection. save them the time and effort trying to turn around.
pinkfallinstarr They're are a few 10 ' 8 low clearance signs well visible on grand avenue just that the GPS doesn't say that and truckers don't pay attention
mike Ok so we have all pointed out all the problems with said tailgaters and said trucks....does anyone have a moral to the story.
Steve-0 There are truck GPS & onboard electronic log & navigation systems that give you advance notification of low bridges, weight limits etc, but not all drivers or trucking companies have them. The prob with Grand Ave is the first sign of a 10'8 bridge is 0.6 miles from it. Once you reach that sign there are like 5-6 narrow residential streets with little space for turnaround. A sign at Grand Ave & Main St or by the post office would prevent larger vehicles from continuing on Grand Ave.
Bruin M & M...I agree with the signage thing...signs are there but not really that noticeable or attention grabbing. My husband has come to the rescue of many truckers over the years ..helping them get out of a bad situation as they ventured down Grand Avenue there at the culvert without a clue that they could not get through that tunnel.
Haha, Bruin. Well, I think the amount of tractor trailers coming up and down Schooley's Mountain is stupid and dangerous. It's happening too often and more precautions should be taken and stricter penalties enforced.
There seems to be an abundance of large trucks and trailers traveling in this area and I don't think the town's infrastructure can handle it. But, I don't think anything will be done to change that.
Tracy I don't know if anything will work. There are truckers that just don't pay attention. Nearly everyday on Route 80, slowdowns and near accidents occur because trucks go 40mph up Denville hill, or Allamuchy mountain and DON'T use the hill climbing lanes. They see fit to block the middle lanes. Then there's the western approach to to Netcong with an incline that slows to crawl because the right and center lanes are blocked with equally slow 40mph trucks. How about the dump trucks that don't have mud flaps or properly cover the load, and break your windshield from slinging rocks?
They don't follow the rules and regulations we already have in place. They're rarely enforced by police either.
Trucks pose a large danger to cars and are major contributor to traffic impedance. Efforts should definitely be made to try and control or organize routes they travel, enforce the rules, and give more strict penalties. But I'm pretty sure no one in power cares.
YetAnotherNewGuy Joyful...the sign is very clear & noticeable. The problem is they placed it only near the bridge. 0.6 miles from it. Once you get to the 1st sign the only option for a turnaround are the small residential streets. They need to place a sign by the main intersection , Main St & Grand Ave. That'd be like putting a dead end sign at the end of a street. You put the dead end sign at the beginning & you know before you proceed.
@ Tracy. You are incorrect, they can't enforce it if its not illegal. Unless they change the 20 ton limit sign. It is not illegal to travel on Schooley's Mountain Rd, regardless of the vehicle size if you are under 40,000lbs.
I noticed on the Schooley's Mountain sign today that it notes the 20 ton limit but also "except local delivery." So technically if a truck is going to say, the Mansfield Walmart, that could be considered a local delivery I would think. Doesn't make sense the town would note that exception knowing how the road is.
Ok, M&M, you seem to have a lot of opinions about this subject. What am I incorrect about? I never said anything about legality. I said it's stupid and dangerous and more precautions need to be taken and penalties enforced for violations.
So tell us, if the trucks/trailers whatever aren't breaking the law, then explain why these accidents/occurrences happen so frequently? And if they are happening without breaking a law, then perhaps something else needs to be done.
If they arent suppose to be on that road, and they do it anyway and get stuck, the company should get fined from the local PD. Then the company deals with the driver. Arent they suppose to know ahead of time their route for the day and where they are NOT suppose to go?
botheredbyu @ Skeeter you're right. Which means if I'm running over the 20 ton limit and at 40 tons 80,000lbswhich is the maximum allowed GVWR in the US & my bill of lading has Walmart in Mansfield or Mars in Hackettstown as the consignee then it is legal to run on Schooleys Mountain Rd. There are many roads in our area with 4 ton limit, 10 ton limit etc. Schooley's Mountain Rd is not one of them. If they do not want heavy trucking on the road, they would need to change the signs. @ Tracy yes if a vehicle is breaking the law, a strict fine should be imposed. However it is not stupid, I've been traveling thru there for a few years now and have never had any incident. Any steep hill in any town is always dangerous , but so is driving on wet or icy roads. I have no idea why or how the accidents happen there, but it is up to the town to change the limits if they feel certain vehicles should not travel that road.
Hmm, I don't remember anyone mentioning the ShopRite truck that overturned on Schooley's Mt. Rd. almost right in front of the old Washington Twp. Municipal building. I think the outcry from that may have caused it to be posted with the weight limit to begin with.
I'm not positive of the time frame, but I'm pretty sure it was sometime between 1995 and 2002 or so.
Phil D. I can remember back in the 60's there was a sign at the intersection of Routes 24 and 206 in Chester warning trucks of the "Hill" and they should use Route 206 North instead of Route 24 West.
I was a resident of Ringwood,NJ and had the same situation on Skyline dr. I attended every council meeting to report on the danger of large/heavy trucks going over Skyline dr. especially since the town had approved Quarry operation in a residential zone. The town council replied that it was a county road and they could do nothing. I continued to ask that they contact the county or whoever could control the truck traffic. Still nothing was done. After a year of complaints,[about 9yrs ago] a large dump truck carrying aload of asphalt lost its brakes going down Skyline dr. into Ringwood. It ran over 2cars at high speed killing the local pharmasist and the mother and father of a local police officer.
The reaction was immediate; a 10ton limit was enforced within 2wks. It is still enforced from Oakland to Ringwood. I have lived in LongValley for 7yrs and have followed many large/heavy trucks over Schooleys mtn. I have reported it to the Wash.Tsp.police and was told it was too difficult to enforce. The trucks drive past the police station every day! NOW WHAT??
Douglas Faconi Douglas: Well, I guess it will take the death of another "important" person to be killed.
cbel I "THINK" schoolies mountain road is a state road (Not sure if its considered 24 any more)..The state would set the limits not the town (if true)
Tractor-trailers should not be permitted on Schooleys mtn rd as it is not possible to make the turn going up from LongValley unless they go into oncoming lane; the weight limit is most important as I witnessed several times loaded trucks unable to climb the grade. Imagine the loss of brakes on either side of the mtn. I will never forget the tragedy on Skyline dr. in Ringwood; I will bring it up at a Council meeting in Wash.Tsp. even though they did not listen in Ringwood.
Doesn't look like there is going to be much of a change anytime soon - http://longvalley.patch.com/articles/mayor-county-stops-funds-for-bypass-project
Schooleys Mtn road is a county road not a state road. Change would be made by the Morris Ct DOT and the Freeholders.
Mark
Saw a truck get stuck this morning. Took him a few tries but I think he made it without incident. He was carrying these big blue cages or something.
Washington Township officials and Freeholders are not in agreement - http://longvalley.patch.com/articles/mayor-freeholder-at-odds-over-bypass-project
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