County Notes: Cattle Truck Accident May Spur Action

“Today it was livestock. It could have very well been somebody’s mother or brother or sister,” said Mike Altizer, Chairman of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors.

Altizer is referring to the tractor-trailer accident on Route 116 that happened early Tuesday morning and shut down both lanes of traffic for the entire day. The driver was hauling cattle.

Rescuers were able to save between 20-25 animals, but lost 58 in the accident.

“Today when I went up to the sight it was very heartbreaking to see livestock just laying there and witnessing some of them being euthanized,” said Altizer. As far as he’s concerned, today’s accident on Route 116 is one too many. He’s worried that if something isn’t done soon “somebody will get killed.”

In the past few months, Altizer has been very vocal about his push to eliminate all tractor-trailers on Jae Valley Road, also known as Route 116. “The road is treacherous up there.”

According to VDOT, a locality would have to pass a resolution restricting tractor-trailers on Route 116. That resolution would then be sent to VDOT and the department would conduct a study, which could take up to one year. VDOT would then submit its findings to the Commonwealth Transportation Board and it would make the final decision on whether there should be a restriction for tractor-trailers.

Altizer says he hopes to have a resolution ready to pass at the board’s first meeting in October. “As far as I’m concerned, I think anything over 28-foot is too long to come down that mountain.”

Board of Supervisors Vice-Chairman Joe McNamara agrees. “People are following their GPS systems that say this is a great way to get from point A to point B, and it really isn’t. It’s a very dangerous situation.” Altizer says, “I’m bound and determined. This is an uphill fight, but you know, it’s a fight we’re fighting.”

(From Media Partner WSLS-10)

Latest Articles

- Advertisement -

Latest Articles

- Advertisement -

Related Articles