COUNCIL COMMUNICATION

CITY OF LAREDO ORDINANCE NO. 2002-O-065

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER XI, TRUCK TRAFFIC, DIVISION 2, TRUCK ROUTES, SECTION 19-410 TRUCK ROUTES DESIGNATED AND SECTION 19-415 DEPARTURE FROM AND RETURN TO A DESIGNATED TRUCK ROUTE, OF CHAPTER 19, THE CITY OF LAREDO CODE OF ORDINANCES BY DELETING LAFAYETTE STREET WESTBOUND ONLY FROM IH 35 TO SANTA ISABEL AVENUE, CLARIFYING U.S. 83 TO INCLUDE HOUSTON AND MATAMOROS, DESIGNATING ALL OF LOOP 20 TO THE WORLD TRADE BRIDGE AND ELIMINATING THE RESTRICTIVE LOCATION FOR SERVICES AND REPAIRS OFF THE TRUCK ROUTE; PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION AND EFFECTIVE DATE. (AS AMENDED)

WHEREAS, the truck transportation industry is one of the largest industries in the City of

Laredo, and therefore, there is an immense amount of trucks on streets, bridges and throughout

the City of Laredo; and

WHEREAS, minimizing the impact of commercial traffic on local streets is in the public interest;

and,

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAREDO THAT:

Section 1. Chapter 19, Article XI Division 2, Section 19-410, of the City of Laredo Code of

Ordinances is hereby amended as follows:

19-410. Truck Routes Designated.

The following streets and sections of streets within the City of Laredo are established and

designated as “truck routes”.

TRUCK ROUTES

 1.       F.M. 3464 from F.M. 1472 (Mines Rd.) To IH-35.

 2.       F.M. 1472 (Mines Rd) from IH-35 to F.M. 255/Dolores Blvd.

 3.       F.M. 255/Dolores Blvd. from F.M. 1472 (Mines Rd.) to the Columbia/Solidarity

                       Bridge.

 4.       Santa Maria Rd. from F.M. 1472 (Mines Rd.) to Markley.

 5.       West Calton Rd. from Anna to IH-35.

 6.       Mann Rd. from Santa Maria Rd. to IH-35.

 7.       U.S. 59 (Saunders St.) from the corporate city limits to IH-35.

 8.       

Lafayette St. westbound only from IH-35 to Santa Isabel Ave.]

[9.] 8.            Scott St. westbound only from IH-35 to Santa Isabel Ave. (Exceptions See 9 A.)

[9.A] 8.A.      Scott St. eastbound from Santa Isabel Ave. to IH 35 during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to

10:00 a.m. with a City of Laredo licensed oversize vehicle escort.

[10.] 9.                     Jefferson St. westbound only from IH-35 to Santa Isabel Ave.

[11.] 10.        Santa Isabel Ave. from Lafayette St. to Pedregal, [extending to the import lot and

access Bridge No. 1.]

[12.] 11.        Anna Ave. from Jefferson to West Calton Rd.

[13.] 12.        [Guadalupe St.] (U.S. 83) westbound only from S.H. 359 to IH-35.

[14.               [Chihuahua St.] (U.S. 83) eastbound only from IH-35 to S.H. 359.

[15.] 13.        S.H. 359 from the corporate limits to the intersection with U.S. 83.

[16.] 14.        U.S. 83 from the corporate limits to S.H. 359.

[17.] 15.        Loop 20 from U.S. 83 to [IH-35] the World Trade Bridge.

[18.] 16.        IH-35 from the corporate limits to the Lincoln-Juarez Bridge (Bridge No. 2).

[19.] 17.        Jefferson St. from Santa Isabel to Anna.

[20.               Loop 20 from the intersection of IH-35 to the World Trade Bridge.]

[21.] 18.        Killam Industrial Blvd. from the intersection of F.M. 1472 (Mines Rd.) to IH-35.

[21.] 19.        Airpark Dr. from US 59 to Bustamante St.

[22.] 20.        Bustamante St. [eastbound] westbound to Maher Ave.

[23.] 21.        Maher Ave. northbound only to Hillside Rd.

[24.] 22.        Hillside Rd. westbound only to Thomas Ave.

[25.] 23.        Thomas Ave. and Gale St. from between Hillside Rd. and McPherson Rd.

[26.] 24.        Thomas Ave. southbound only from Hillside Rd. to Pappas St.

[27.] 25.        Pappas St. westbound only from Thomas Ave. to Daugherty Ave.

[28.] 26.        Daugherty Ave. southbound only from Pappas St. to Bustamante St.

[29.] 27.        Bustamante St. southbound only from Daugherty Ave. to US 59.

Sec. 19-415. Departure from and Return to a Designated Truck Route.

(a.) Departure Routes.

The operator of a truck or person causing such operation may depart from a designated truck route and it shall be a defense to prosecutions under the provisions of section 19-414 if all of

the following conditions are met:

(1.) If the purpose of such departure from a designated truck route is necessary for any of the

following:

(a.) to reach a terminal or place where such vehicle is housed or its established place of

        business; or

(b.) to load or unload merchandise at specific locations situated off designated truck routes;

       or

(c.) to perform a service at a specific location situated off designated truck routes; or

(d.) to obtain services, repairs, or fuel in the normal course of business for the vehicle driven

      off the truck route; [if such location is within one (1) block of the designated truck route or within (3) blocks from Lafeyette Street;] or

            (e.) to obtain lodging.

(2.) Such departure from a designated truck route must start at the turning off point leading and proceeding to the ultimate destination of the vehicle by the shortest and most direct route

except when such route is sign posted as “No Trucks.”; and

(3.) The operator departing from a designated truck route must have in his/her possession for the inspection by police officers or the city manager’s authorized representative, his/her log book, delivery slips, or other evidence his/her destination to justify the presence of the vehicle on a street or roadway other than a designated truck route.

(b.) Return Routes.

      The operator of a truck or person causing such operation which has lawfully departed from a designated truck route according to subsection (A) above or has traveled to multiple destinations off the designated truck route according to subsection (c) below shall return to a designated truck route from such departures or final destination and it shall be a defense to prosecutions under the provisions of section 19-414 only if such return leads directly from the final destination point off the truck route to the designated truck route by the shortest and most direct route except when such route is sign posted as “No Trucks.” and the operator has in his/her possession for the inspection by police officers or the city manager’s authorized representative, his/her log book, delivery slips, or other evidence of his/her destination to justify the presence of the vehicle on a street or roadway other than a designated truck route.

(c.) Multiple Destination Routes After Departure.

      The operator of a truck or person causing such operation which has lawfully departed from a designated truck route according to subsection (A) above may continue from his/her destination point off the designated truck route to another destination point off the designated truck route without returning to the designated truck route and it shall be a defense to prosecutions under the provisions of section 19-414 if all of the following conditions are met:

(1.) The additional destination off the designated truck route is for a purpose listed in subsection (A) (1) above; and

(2.) To so return to the designated truck route would increase the distance to be traveled on non-designated streets; and

(3.) The operator departing from a designated truck route must have in his/her possession for the inspection by police officers or the city manager’s authorized representative, his/her log book, delivery slips, or other evidence of his/her destination to justify the presence of the vehicle on a street or roadway other than a designated truck route.

SECTION 2. This ordinance shall be published in a manner provided by Section 2.09 (D) of the

Charter of the City of Laredo.

SECTION 3. The ordinance shall become effective as and from the date of publication specified in Section 2.

SECTION 4. Severability

If any provision, section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance, or the

application of same to any person or set of circumstance is for any reason held to be

unconstitutional, void, invalid or for any reason unenforceable, the validity of the remaining

portion of this ordinance or its application to other person or sets of circumstances shall not be

affected thereby, it being the intent of the City Council of the City of Laredo in adopting this

ordinance that no portion hereof or provision or regulation contained herein shall become

inoperative or fail by reason of any unconstitutionality, voidness or invalidity, and all provisions

are declared severable for that purpose.

PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND APPROVED BY THE MAYOR ON THIS ________

DAY OF , 2002.

______________________________

ELIZABETH G. FLORES

MAYOR

ATTEST: 

_________________________________                               

GUSTAVO GUEVARA, JR 

CITY SECRETARY                                              

APPROVED AS TO FORM:

JAIME FLORES

CITY ATTORNEY

BY:

ALAN W. McGRAW

ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY