Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.
The Sandy Springs City Council held a work session on February 3, 2026, to discuss a proposed truck route ordinance. Kristen Wescott, Traffic/Transportation Unit Manager, presented the need for clearer truck route designations due to citizen complaints, construction on I-285 and GA 400, and the current unenforceable ordinance. The council reviewed a proposed network of five local routes, debated definitions, time restrictions, and enforcement, and directed staff to prepare a formal ordinance for a future meeting.
The time for convening has arrived, so we'll excuse me, start our uh series of meetings this evening, starting first with our work session. Uh the first item on the work session is a presentation on proposed truck ordinances. Ms. Westcott. Good evening, Mayor and Council. Um, this evening we're gonna just have a brief conversation about what is in the city's current ordinances related to truck routes, um, talk a little bit about some regional uh freight trends and look at our own ordinance, make some suggestions to think about and have a discussion. Why I'm here is that on occasion, uh city staff has asked to install truck restriction signs on various streets, and when we um have in the past looked at what our city code says related to that, we don't have good clear direction on how to proceed, and so with over 1700 streets in Sandy Springs, our conversation today is really about talking about um where trucks can and should travel in Sandy Springs. So, just in terms of the big picture, freight in our region in Atlanta, Sandy Springs inside of that is an enormous industry, it accounts for a third of all jobs in the entire region. And um, surprisingly, you know, we think about big freight places like Philadelphia or Chicago or even LA, Atlanta's right up in there in terms of our whole region and how much freight we're both generating and producing here, and has a great economic value. And a lot of the freight moving around Atlanta is moved by truck, you know. There's also other other ways it travels. So just in terms of again, big picture. The U.S. identified a national network back in 1982, and part of that Interstate 285, which traverses through Sandy Springs as part of this national network. The state also has a designated freight network or truck network, and that includes uh State Route 400 north of 25. Um another little interesting thing on the state is that maybe you've noticed when you're inside of 285 driving on 75, 85, 20, or 400, trucks are restricted, so that is something that's written into state law currently that large vehicles more than six wheels cannot travel with the exceptions if they have you know a reason to be there, but not through trips. So, what does that look like in Sandy Springs right now? So these are truck routes or freight routes, corridors already identified that traverse Sandy Springs that either by federal or state partners have identified as truck friendly. So it's 285, State Route 9, 140, and 400 north of 2d5. So the city's ordinance is found in chapter 80 58, Article 2. So, what does that route truck route ordinance currently look like? It tells us sort of the routes trucks can take, it talks about signage, talks about maximum vehicle weights, where and how long trucks can park, where they can be stored, the time of day that deliveries can happen, and then the penalties. Um trucks are always permitted on any street if they have an origin or destination there. So you're moving and you need a moving ban to come to your house, they're allowed to do that. If you have a delivery of you know, an entire living room full of furniture, they can come to your house. But you are supposed to do that in the most direct route available. We have currently a time restriction, and so this is anything really um off of a truck route is not supposed to be made between 7 a.m.