GPS Systems Leading Trucks Into Lockport Neighborhood
CHICAGO (CBS)-- Lockport police discovered that GPS systems were leading trucks astray and residents say it's putting their families in danger.
151st street between Farrell and Gougar are marked "No Truck Zone" because two residential areas, filled with young families and backyards, end right at the edge of the road.
A once quiet neighborhood is now flooded with semis, some as heavy as 80,000 pounds.
The trucks are supposed to enter the nearby industrial park from the north, but some truck drivers have been taking a short cut.
Caitlin Schroeder is one of the concerned residents.
"These are not little construction trucks, these are big semis, so it's concerning," she said.
Officer Vincent Vitacco said he completely understands the complaints made by the residents.
Lockport has assigned an officer to specifically work truck zone enforcement.
In the past 2 years, police have written more than 400 overweight violations.
Despite the obvious signage, most truck drivers tell officer Vitacco they are not from the area.
"They also explain that their GPS told them to go this way," Vitacco said.
He discovered that most of the navigation systems didn't have this road marked as a "no truck zone." Police contacted all of the GPS companies, which in turn fixed their maps.
Even with the changes, the problem still remains.
"It's an ongoing problem, I think we would like to continue to partner with IDOT and try to get more signage in areas that we don't typically do," City Administrator Ben Benson said.
Benson says there are no established "Will county" truck routes and it would help to have a comprehensive plan to connect them all.
The fines are steep if truckers get caught they have to pay $500 on the spot and are detained on the spot until they are able to produce payment.