Fort Mitchell City Council is considering prohibiting through traffic from semi-trucks on all city streets.
At the May 5 council meeting, the council heard the first reading of an ordinance change that would still allow semi-trucks to complete commercial and residential deliveries within the city. However, the vehicles would no longer be able to cut through residential neighborhoods.
LINK spoke to Fort Mitchell City Administrator Edwin King about what prompted the ordinance.
“There has been some increase in through-trucks on residential streets recently,” King said. “With the upcoming Brent Spence Bridge construction, we anticipate this increasing.”
Mayor Jude Hehman said she supports the ordinance.
“The reason I support this is that when the [Brent Spence Bridge Corridor construction] affects our infrastructure, this is something we can actually do to protect residents,” Hehman said.
Interstate 71/75 and Highway US-25 are part of the Kentucky Designated National Truck Network. Both directly intersect Fort Mitchell. Residents and council members have noticed that when traffic backs up on those larger roads, some semi-truck drivers try to reroute through residential areas to avoid that congestion.
“Our city streets are residential and are not made for regular heavy semi-truck traffic,” King said.
Another NKY city has been dealing with issues of semi-truck traffic. LINK nky previously reported on a semitrailer accident in November of 2024 in Erlanger’s Cherry Hill neighborhood, which caused significant damage, including downed power lines and disrupted services, reigniting residents’ concerns over frequent truck traffic. Despite previous efforts like signage and GPS updates, trucks continue to be misrouted through the area, leading to ongoing safety and infrastructure issues.
The Fort Mitchell ordinance also suggests more serious consequences for those engaging in through-truck traffic, including a fine of $150 for the first offense.
“This change would give the ordinance some teeth,” King said. “It would allow our officers to cite trucks that are not complying.”
Fort Mitchell has not yet provided a date for a second reading and approval of the ordinance.