CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — Jake braking on Greenville Avenue is creating too much noise, according to one resident, and she would like to see Clarion Borough Council do something about it.
“At the one point during the summer, there was a truck every 20 minutes, and how would you feel if you worked for your house and had a nice porch you could sit on and you can’t even use it?” said Cindy Miller, a Greenville Avenue resident, at the council’s November meeting.
“I had to take the swing to the backyard because you can’t use my front porch because it’s so noisy there in the morning.”
A “jake brake” is typically used by large diesel trucks on hills. When activated, it opens exhaust valves in the cylinders after the compression cycle, releasing the compressed air trapped in the cylinders, slowing the vehicle, and making some noise in the process. Miller was talking about the area on Corbett Street to the “dip” when the road turns into Greenville Pike.
“They ride up and down there with log truck and coal trucks,” continued Miller. “These trucks aren’t stopping for the kids — maybe once and a while — and they are speeding. If we have some money to spend, why don’t we put up some no jake braking signs? Other towns don’t allow it. You can’t depend on people to do the right thing without a law. Can’t we do something about it?”
Police Chief Bill Beck said he didn’t know of anything in the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code that would prohibit the use of jake brakes, and there would probably have to be a local ordinance to cover such usage. Peck said he would review other local ordinances.
The general area also includes heavy use by Clarion Boards that ships the company’s entire product from the old glass plant-shipping center on Wilson Avenue. Miller said she had talked to people at the board plant, and they agreed that the jake brake should not be used except in the case of an emergency.
In other business:
• Council member Breda DeDe reported that the Blueprint Committee had money it needed to spend or encumber by the end of the year, and the committee is planning to schedule a pre-holiday or holiday musical concert for the public.
“The idea is to bring your family and have a nice relaxing evening of music,” said DeDe. “So, the posters will go up, and the announcements will go out. The group has approximately $1,100.00 to spend.”
• An agreement between Clarion Borough and the Clarion Area School District was approved for the use of Paul A. Weaver Community Park at an annual fee of $600.00.
