Large vehicles and unattached trailers are too heavy for the unimproved shoulders of several Auburn streets to bear, and the wear and tear is showing.

City Council members on Monday decided that until improvements can be made to the street shoulders so the big rigs can park there without tearing things up, parking should be restricted to areas already capable of safely bearing the weight, as follows:

• Both sides of D Street Northwest between 44th Street Northwest and South 277th, where practical;

• The south side of 44th Street Northwest, west of D Street Northwest and east of the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way;

• The west side of E Street Northeast, between 23rd Street Northeast and 26th Street Northeast;

• The east side of Lund Road Southwest and West Main Street to the end;

• And directly next to and on the same side of the street as property on which a commercial business, other than a home-based business, is located. But the parking cannot obstruct the free flow of traffic.

Council members raised the cost of each violation from $101 to $250.

The city further decided to prohibit any unattached trailer, semi trailer or pole trailer from parking within any city right of way. A vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating under 20,000 pounds, however, may park with any city right-of-way in a residential neighborhood for up to 24 hours.

The amendments do not affect recreational vehicle parking, other than to prohibit these vehicles from parking on any street, alley or public right in any residential neighborhood for more than 24 hours.

"In those places in the right of way where public funds were expended to adequately support parking, those are the streets indicated in the ordinance," said Public Works Director Dennis Dowdy. "Those areas where the right-of-way is not adequate to support parking because public funds were not available to make the pavement adequate, they can be made adequate. And it would be to the advantage of those, whether truckers or businesses that need independent truckers, if they are willing, to step forward and help pay to make it adequate."

Contact Auburn Reporter News reporter Robert Whale at rwhale@auburn-reporter.com or 253-833-0218, ext. 5052.

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