How To Report Illegal Truck Traffic on Your Street

We've been waiting well over a year to get a speed hump on our block and chances are we'll be waiting a good while longer. One of the main advantages of speed humps is that they deter large trucks from blazing down the block. But even without a speed hump, there's a way to try to curb illegal truck traffic: report it!

How do you know when truck traffic on a block is illegal? The only legal thoroughfare that large trucks can use in PLG are Rogers, Flatbush, Nostrand, and Empire. Trucks with 6 or more tires (and even large trucks with only 4) cannot travel along residential streets such as Rutland, Fenimore, and Hawthorne, except in the cases where they are making deliveries on those streets (such as a Home Depot flatbed delivering bricks for a home renovation).

If you notice trucks regularly using your block as a through-street, note the time of day and license number (a description of the truck may also be helpful). Then report the incident to the Department of Transportation via calling 311 or using the DOT web form. If possible, copy me on any emails you send (brooklynite282@gmail.com); photos would also be helpful.

(Photo taken from an British source because I'm too lazy to wait by my window: by t1mmyb)

Comments

[ceelledee]

What about Ocean Avenue? Parkside Avenue btw Ocean/Flatbish?

[ceelledee]

I love that typo in my post. Something almost Freudian about that!

[Kelly]

I live on Bedford Avenue (between Prospect Place and Park Place) and loud, noisy trucks are a regular occurrence.

I understand and respect the need to document violations as best as possible when complaining but that would mean setting up camp on my stoop to take pictures every time the light changes.

Is there any other way? Are there cameras at certain intersections that might help?

[babs]

I love my block's speed bump! Lefferts Ave was a notorious truck/speeder shortcut between Flatbush and Eastern Parkway and we had lots of truck traffic at all hours. Since we got the bump a year ago, the truck traffic and speeding have fallen off considerably.

[Kelly]

While I would love to have a speed bump, I don't know that Bedford Avenue is the best place for one.

However, I would love any advice on how to bring the noise and truck traffic to someone's attention. Again, it's regular enough that I could make a full time job out of trying to take pictures and document license plates.

[AdrianLesher]

I'm curious as to whether anything can be done about the trucks routinely parked with their engines running on the stretch of Flatbush between the park and the Botanic Gardens.