Today around 3pm, Ferndale police were asked to respond to the area of Barrett Road and Main Street for a traffic problem. Upon arriving, they saw a line of semi trucks leading from the gas pumps at the Pilot Truck Stop back onto Barrett Road and then onto Main Street.
Trucks coming off of I-5 northbound who were seeking to fill up had no where to go but to sit at the off ramp waiting for the line to move so they could turn left.
According to those that work in the neighborhood, this is not an infrequent occurrence and, if history is any indication, it will be happening more frequently as summertime arrives.
The situation creates a business challenge for the Barrett Road Denny’s Restaurant since customers are either unable to get to their parking lot or to get out. Neighbors in the Paradise area neighborhoods are unable to take Barrett Road to Paradise Road, instead having to detour via Main Street and Northwest Drive.
There is not much police can do when encountering such situations, Ferndale Police Officer Larrick Winslow told Discover Ferndale, as long as the semi trucks are not blocking driveways or intersections. Today Officer Winslow recommended to one truck driver near the pumps that they take a route through the scales which were unoccupied. This potentially made a difference as the back up onto Main Street dissipated soon after.