Despite the set up of warning signs, increased fines, and extensive awareness campaigns, the issue of trucks getting stuck on Vermont’s notorious Smugglers’ Notch isn’t slowing down, prompting state officials to explore alternative solutions.
Smugglers’ Notch, a scenic mountain pass along state Route 108, has long been a headache for authorities due to its unique combination of narrowness and winding path. Despite its picturesqueness, the route presents a daunting challenge for many drivers with its sharp turns, leading to state regulations that prohibit single vehicles exceeding 40 feet and combination vehicles exceeding 45 feet in length from driving along the Notch. Unfortunately, large trucks continue to find themselves trapped along the route – but it’s not their fault.
According to state officials, the root of the problem appears to lie with GPS systems. Many truckers rely on navigation designed for standard vehicles rather than trucks and unwittingly find themselves directed right through Smugglers’ Notch.
“What it comes down to is – you just won’t fit,” the Vermont Agency of Transportation states on its website. “No matter what your GPS or your navigation app says, over-length vehicles cannot successfully navigate the Notch. This is not a matter of driving skills or experience – there is no physical way for large vehicles to fit. If you try to go that way anyway, you will get stuck.”
Despite previous efforts, including the installation of both digital and traditional signage warning against truck entry, as well as significant fine hikes—up to $1,000, escalating to $2,000 for causing substantial traffic disruptions—trucks, following their navigation systems, continue to become stuck, resulting in prolonged highway closures and frustrations for everyone involved.
In a bid to address the issue, state lawmakers previously proposed penalizing GPS providers for failing to highlight the route restrictions. This proposal failed to progress beyond the committee stage.
With conventional measures proving unsuccessful, transportation officials are now adopting a new approach: chicanes. These road structures, designed to narrow the roadway and impede traffic flow, will be introduced at both ends of Smugglers’ Notch initially as temporary fixtures, using orange barrels and curbs.
The success of these chicanes will be thoroughly assessed over the next one to two years. If they prove helpful, permanent installation may be possible. The ultimate aim is to create chicanes that not only serve their purpose but also visually complement the surrounding landscape and seamlessly integrate into the rest of the roadway.
“We’ve completed various traffic engineering analyses and discussed the options with our partners, and there was a strong consensus that the chicanes are the best option,” said Todd Sears, deputy director of the Operations and Safety Bureau.
Source: Land Line
Photo: Vermont State Police
