Neighbors concerned about semi trucks in their neighborhood

STAND UP - I’m Natalia Hepworth in Ammon, and you can’t see it behind me but there’s a new Cal-Ranch being constructed close by. The City of Ammon informed neighbors that upon completion of the Cal-Ranch semi trucks will be heading north on Curlew through this residential area. One woman is concerned this is posing a huge safety risk.

SOT: “I don’t want it to be my child that gets hit and killed because they city didn’t think about it before we granted these accesses,” resident Michellee Surerus says.

VO: C-A-L Ranch semis are set to access the C-A-L Ranch parking lot through entryways on Curlew Drive. Surerus and other nearby neighbors are demanding another alternative.

SOT: “I don’t feel like it’s okay for semi’s to be going through our residential area, one it’s illegal, and two my children’s lives are at stake’,” Surerus says.

VO: It might seem illegal for trucks to access a commercial area through residential means, but planning director for the City of Ammon Ron Folsom says it’s actually not prohibited. Trucks can pass through. Folsom has been open to neighbors concerns, but his hands are tied— he can’t take away the rights of the commercial property owners.

SOT: “They estimate there will be from 4 to 8 trucks per day,” Folsom says. “The property that Cal-Ranch purchased was zoned commercial in 2009. And, at the same time two accesses for that commercial property was granted onto Curlew.”

VO: Folsom says everywhere around Curlew except the 700-foot residential strip is commercially zoned, and for now heading north on Curlew drive is the one of the only options for C-A-L Ranch semis. Surerus, however thinks there’s another alternative. She’s hoping trucks can access the lot through Hitt Road, but those accesses are considered private property and are owned by Walmart. Folsom said Walmart doesn’t use them for their trucks either.

SOT: “They actually control who can drive on them. They can say, 'No we are not going to let you have diesel trucks on (the lot) and that’s what they’ve done,” Folsom said.

VO: On Monday, Surerus took matters into her own hands and started a petition, called “Protect our Children.” She says her number one concern is the safety of the many children on the block including her own 2-year-old son, and 2-month-old daughter.

SOT: “I don’t want my child getting hit, and I don’t want anybody’ else child getting hit. He’s my world, and she’s my world too. One day she’s going to be walking and I would be devastated if one of my children got hit,” Surerus said.

VO: Folsom said for now, the city has talked about options to soften potential traffic before the completion of C-A-L ranch next June.

SOT: “We will add probably some streets signs maybe even a flashing light. These are all things that we’ve talked about in the last week, and haven’t had approved,” Folsom says.

VO: Surerus says she’s still gotten some 40 signatures since starting the petition on Monday and will continue to advocate her children’s safety.

SOT: “This was a safe neighborhood and now I don’t feel like it’s safe anymore,” Surerus said. “There might be another way. There might be a way of Walmart agrees to let them use their road. I hope an pray that my petition will be good enough.”

VO: In Ammon, I’m Natalia Hepworth EastIdahoNews.com.