The continuation of tractor-trailers utilizing Route 93 to come from the Hazleton area is causing significant concern for Nesquehoning officials.

On Wednesday, John McArdle, the borough emergency management coordinator and a first responder, told the borough that something has to be done about the rigs, especially after a recent crash that was caused by a rig driver losing control while coming down the mountain, barreling across the Route 209 intersection, nearly missing a building before hitting an embankment.

“As everyone is probably well aware, we had another runaway truck come down the Broad Mountain,” McArdle said, noting that thankfully anytime a rig has come through that intersection after losing brakes that there has not been a serious crash with vehicles traveling Route 209.

“Looking at Mr. (Joe) Pilla’s surveillance (video), there was a car that went through that intersection right before that truck came down,” he said. “It’s not going to be long before we have a major casualty incident at that location. We have school buses. We have traffic and everything like that. I think it’s time the borough goes and tries to step up and stop having the lip service that we’re receiving (from the state).”

The crash McArdle referenced occurred on Aug. 5 and was caught on video from the building across the street from Route 93.

He suggested council draft a letter requesting a meeting with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the secretary of transportation and area legislators to see what can be done to stop this from happening.

“I think it’s near time that we try to step this up and try to come to a solution,” he told council. “We’ve been told in the past that they put signs; but if you look at the signs coming down from Hazleton, right before the Arthur Gardiner Parkway, it’s hidden. It’s in English. The drivers that are coming down aren’t very capable of reading signs from what I can tell you. They have altered license plates. They’ve done a whole slew of things.”

McArdle said that the police chief has contacted Amazon distribution and was told that once the driver leaves the warehouse, it’s on the driver.

“It’s time we gotta do something,” he said.

Borough Solicitor Robert Yurchak added that based on his experience with this matter, Amazon has taken the stance that it’s cheaper to pay the fine than it is to change the route for drivers.

Borough police have been trying to step up enforcement of that area, however, manpower doesn’t allow for someone to be there at all times.

“We have to come up with some way of curtailing this,” McArdle said, noting that drivers tell first responders following the crashes that the GPS directed them to this route.

Council said there is a runaway truck ramp and asked if drivers said why they weren’t using that when there was an issue.

In the past, one rig driver tried to use the sewer plant entrance as his ramp and ended up off the edge of the road over train tracks. Another one utilized the ramp, but was going at such speed, the rig ended up traveling the whole length of the ramp before coming to rest in the trees at the top.

Several years ago, three rigs lost control and crashed over a three-day period.

Council agreed and instructed Yurchak to send letters out to the state officials, as well as Beaver Meadows, who is also having this problem with trucks, to request a meeting.