SUFFOLK, Va. — A year ago, a neighborhood in Suffolk started noticing a large number of semi-trucks driving by their homes. While at the time, it wasn't considered a prohibited area for truck drivers, a resident thought it was alarming.
"So one weekend, we happened to be home, and we checked our ring cameras, and I had 22 tractor-trailers that came through in just one night," said Tom Rein, a Suffolk resident.
Tom Rein first noticed the high truck traffic driving by his house a year ago, around the same time the Amazon warehouse facility opened its doors in Suffolk.
“In the first couple weeks it was open, there were some issues with the direction of the truck traffic," said Rein.
I reached out to the city, and they say they've seen an increase in truck traffic near the Amazon facility. They've worked with the company to update their GPS system. But say the system has not been perfect with truckers still driving on restricted roads.
"The fact that these warehouses are open 24/7 is just an ongoing operation, so there are a lot of issues," said Rein.
The city says they have spent the last year taking numerous steps to address concerns. They include a new sign design, installing new signs near industrial parks, as well as reviewing roads to determine if restrictions are needed in other parts of the city.
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Rein notes Suffolk is a big city with a lot of open land that allows these facilities to develop. He wants city officials to speak about possible challenges to the city if larger corporations are allowed to move into the area.
"It's just taken a turn nobody thought would happen," said Rein.
The Suffolk Police department enforces truck-restricted routes, and with 430 square miles to enforce, the city says they face a unique challenge since officers must see the offense to give a violation.
