Florence concerned
Pipeline trucks may wreck streets
Staff writer
TransCanada officials met with Florence City Council Monday to discuss transporting pipe from the railway stop in Florence through the city.
TransCanada’s plan is to drive 12 trucks up to 50 round trips a day on the city’s Main Street to get to U.S. 77. The trucks will carry three pieces of pipe with a maximum weight of 80,000 pounds. Officials said that negotiating the trucks around the roundabout will be their biggest problem because the trucks will be 95 feet long.
Officials estimated that by working five-day weeks they should finish unloading the pipe in a month.
“I don’t see how the streets will hold up to that,” council member Ed Robinson said.
TransCanada officials said that they were willing to cooperate with the city on a different route and give Florence a Haul Route Agreement to recoup some of the costs Florence may incur to repair streets.
Robinson will meet with TransCanada official Nate Krommendyk to start negotiating with the oil company.
In other business:
- Lydia Gates will be allowed to teach an art class in the former home economics building owned by the city. Gates is still looking for funding assistance from Marion County Economic Development Director Teresa Huffman but is looking to teach a seven-week art program to children from third grade all the way through high school. She would teach one day a week for 1 ½ hours.
- The price of trash bags will increase to $8 per roll. The city will still allow residents to receive two rolls free for the rest of 2010 but will restrict residents to one free roll starting in 2011.