Tucker County seeking GPS fixes for truckers and residents

PARSONS, W.Va (WDTV) - While West Virginians love to travel our country roads, it’s not always easy sharing some of them, especially with larger trucks.

A couple roads in Tucker County had been getting lots of attention including Holly Meadows Road.

The roads were narrow and go through a residential and hilly area.

When crossing paths with another car, there was not much room to maneuver.

After a recent close call with a school bus, some residents were calling for changes.

Emily Wright had children on the bus that messaged her when the incident happened.

“It took paint off the bus, said it rocked the bus and I know there has been multiple incidences like he said since the first of the year where the bus couldn’t even get through because the road was blocked,” Wright said.

Resident Bob Ekholm contacted Tucker County 911 and received a list on tractor trailer related incidents in 2022. Ekholm said he counted 27 out of the 49 were in the Holly Meadows area according to the data he was given.

Residents said there were signs before you enter these roads. That indicate they were not suitable for large trucks. Yet tractor-trailers continued to travel them.

Tucker County officials said it’s even more complicated when tractor trailers use those roads, typically requiring a police escort just to make it through.

“A lot of these companies demand their driver to follow the GPS and take the shortest route, so they still insist on trying to travel that. Our County Commission is working with the Department of Highways to try and get these routes removed from the GPS as a route of travel for truck traffic,” said Kevin White, Tucker County Homeland Security Director.

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