If issue remains, call the Mayor's office. 413-561-1600

Mr Mayor this is a continuous problem the entire length of Homestead avenue due to your not cooperating and helping our neighborhood rid the hundreds of tractor trailers that are using Homestead avenue as shortcuts to avoid the tolls in Westfield and for whatever reason they are here.
On the North end of Homestead signed up and posted on a telephone poles that is a truck route this is a neighborhood not a truck route and the trucks are 24/7 and the noise is outrageous and something has to be done by the leadership of this city if there is such a thing.
0 I am quite positive that if this was in your neighborhood it would be dealt with immediately not just continuously patching the damage done by these tractor trailers and heavy commercial vehicles.
I I would like a meeting please with the mayor and a chance to talk about the history here in our neighborhood please.
Chuck Arkle
174 Homestead Ave
Holyoke Ma
413 687 4357

Good morning Chuck,

I don't have the power or the legal authority to have trucks avoid traveling through publicly funded Chapter 90 roads. However, myself and Ward 5 Councilor Vacon did meet with representatives from MassDOT back in August to bring forward the concern and see if we can come up with a solution.

Since the tolls on the Mass Pike were implemented, the level of truck traffic on Route 202 has increased to such a degree that we receive complaints on an almost weekly basis from residents. It appears that tractor trailers are circumventing the toll on the Pike between Westfield and Route 91 north by using Route 202. The major concern which I share with you is that this increase of truck traffic is on the densely-developed section on Homestead Avenue from Westfield Road to Cherry Street. There is a current HCVE on Westfield Road between Homestead Ave and Northampton Street (24 hr) and a nighttime exclusion on the section of Homestead Avenue from Westfield Road to Lower Westfield Road, which concentrates most truck traffic from Route 202 onto this northern section of Homestead Avenue. A secondary impact is the additional wear and tear on the local roadways in the City.

MassDOT agreed to engage in a study on the traffic pattern. I received an update on Oct. 2nd, they have a traffic Data Collection group in Boston collecting traffic counts with vehicle classification for Homestead Ave, both north and south of the intersection with Westfield Rd. I'm awaiting to hear back observations based on the data and hopefully a solution will follow - although no promises.

Just wanted to make sure you are aware that at minimum it's being looked into. You may not like the outcome (or maybe you will if a positive one comes out of the process) but at least you'll know your local government did not standby and ignore your concerns.

My office will be in touch to schedule a meeting.

Joshua A. Garcia, Mayor

Mr Mayor I thank you for taking the time for your response but I wish that I could meet you in person and maybe discuss a plan that I have that can cure this but it seems that with all my requests for many years past nobody seems to take this serious.
You mention a survey by the DOT and I do remember seeing I think down near the intersection of Homestead and Westfield road some rubber tubing across the road which must have been counters they weren't there for very long and then signs appeared on the telephone pole telling the truckers that this is a truck route and the road is not owned by the state it is owned by the city of Holyoke and I believe that we do have the authority to stop the trucks them circumventing the tolls on the turnpike and using our neighborhood.
I I have a plan for a reroute of route 202 commercial traffic and I would like to meet with you sometime and discuss it.
Again thank you for your time
Chuck Arkle

Who regulates whether a Heavy Commercial Vehicle Exclusion can be placed on a particular roadway?

The State regulates Heavy Commercial Vehicle Exclusions. According to MassDOT, any public way is eligible for a Heavy Commercial Vehicle Exclusion provided a suitable alternate route is available and approved by MassDOT. The alternate route must meet one of the following conditions:

Lie wholly within the community making the application to MassDOT
Lie partially in the adjacent community but only on State Highway, or
Lie partially in an adjacent community but have the adjacent community’s written approval.

Numbered routes are ineligible for heavy commercial vehicle exclusions (as of the 2012).

Mr Mayor please look at this I do have an alternate route which I believe will eliminate the trucks on Homestead avenue if you will give me a chance to speak with you after we speak you can present it to the DOT
The plan that I would like to discuss if I am correct will require only a change in signage.
Chuck Arkle
174 Homestead Ave.

My assistant will be in touch to schedule a meeting.

The sooner the better. It is terrible living here. It was awesome at one time now lots of young families and very dangerous. Please don't wait until there is a fatality or it ends up going to court because people can't sleep at night.
Check into Dedam Mass. They were sucessful in getting rid of commercial traffic. Time to jump over the red tape and get this job done within 30 days there's no reason it can't be done in that time frame. If I sound upset I am.
Have him bring a nap to mat home showing Holyoke and Westfield please. Come around 10 am November 1 st please.

Mr. Mayor I just reread one of your messages that says that you and Linda Vaconmet with the dot in August and you haven't got anything done yet why don't you hire me for a month and I'll get something done I worked for the state for 30 years I do know how it operates.
I had discussions with Linda Several times since 2019. She said they were going to put a stoplight at abermont highway and that would stop the tractor trailers. I'm trying very hard not to be rude but this is been 3 years or more and when nothing's done in 3 years or more it's like nobody cares cuz they don't live here well I do live here and lots of other people live here and we want it fixed so please talk to the mayor of Dedham and see what he did because that sets of precedent probably.