Semis Will Keep on Truckin’…Just Not Through Downtown Owensboro

Hopefully, the woes of the weary trucker won't be exacerbated too much now that heavy truck traffic has been re-routed around downtown Owensboro. It has become necessary to have the three-plus axle haulers or the 40,000 pounders--if not one in the same-- removed from the complicated Second Street equation. Even during the most minimal traffic situations, downtown Owensboro is kind of a nightmare while the Riverfront Crossing project continues at Second and St. Ann.

As of today, heavy trucks will now use Fifth Street to get to Frederica from the east end via Triplett Street. It's not a huge detour, so there shouldn't be any problems. But MANY problems will be alleviated downtown. When the big boys are thrown into the mix on Second, it creates quite a mess simply because they have a hard time getting going after stopping at the intersections. Throw in the usual foot traffic, and you have the type of situation usually reserved for much large metropolitan areas. Of course, once the downtown project is finished, it should be smooth sailing and there will be dancing in the streets...just not while the trucks are moving through.