Fighting truck traffic on RT 206

PRINCETON, N.J. - June 4, 2008 It's not illegal to drive there, but it apparently does cause problems

3 police departments are involved in the effort to fight truck traffic on Route 206 Princeton Twp. Princeton Borough and Lawrence Twp.

That's where officers have begun cracking down on big rigs in an effort to discourage them from using the road as a cut-through or to avoid the urnpike.

"To get these trucks to either use other roads or to make sure that when they do have to use these roads, we understand they do at times, that they are safe," Lt. Sharon Papp of the Princeton Borough Police said.

Lawrence Twp. patrolman Bryce Downes has been working near a light just off an exit ramp from Interstate 95. He's one of the officers looking for violations, stopping trucks, and writing tickets.

"Any type of violations like the diesel emissions sticker, the FTA sticker, inspection stickers, any tires or brake violations that you can visually see," Ptl. Downes said.

Police are counting on the fact that truck drivers talk and are hoping they'll get on their radios and warn other drivers to stay away or risk being pulled over.

The crackdown is the result of complaints from people who live and work along Route 206.

The DOT says these trucks are permitted on 206, but many think they're just too big.

Police won't say how long the crackdown will continue, but they are determined to discourage as many big trucks as possible from using 206 in this area.