Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 2/15/2023
HATFIELD — Local citizen and realtor Micki Sanderson approached the Hatfield Select Board during their Feb. 7 meeting to address concerns around the use of engine brakes from trucks traveling on Elm and Maple Streets.
According to Sanderson, the use of these brakes around those residential areas has become a detriment to the people who live there. “The use of these brakes, particularly against certain sections where there is a slight downgrade, has become a burden to those who have to hear this,” Sanderson said. “And I’m not just talking about 4 o’clock in the afternoon but 4 a.m. when they’re trying to navigate corners.”
Engine brakes, also known as “Jake Brakes,” are usually found in larger commercial vehicles like trucks. Typically, the brakes are used for stopping the vehicle through the engine’s power instead of through a normal braking process. They are usually used when going down a steep hill to reduce wear and tear on the brakes and improve fuel efficiency.
The downside, however, is they emit loud noises and cause disruption in residential areas. And according to Sanderson, the breaks are typically unnecessary in most cases.
Because of this, Sanderson said she would like to see a prohibition of these brakes in Hatfield unless it is an emergency situation.
“I hope I’m here representing a lot of people in town,” said Sanderson. “Not just perhaps on Elm and Maple … but also other spots in town where this is occurring.”
As a realtor, Sanderson said this issue caused a resident on Elm to leave while another seller was concerned that the noise problem from these brakes would greatly reduce their chances of selling their house.
“As a realtor, I’m here to protect property values of the people in town,” said Sanderson. “And make sure that the quiet rural community we have … continues to be that quiet, lovely, rural experience that people want to have.”
For Sanderson, the issue does not stem from the folks in Hatfield doing agricultural business, but rather truck drivers from outside Hatfield who do not understand the integrity of the neighborhood. She noted that her house has vibrated because of engine brakes in the past.
The solutions to the problem put forth by Sanderson include the following: that the Select Board formally contact all commercial trucking companies in the town of Hatfield and request the discontinued use of engine brakes on public roadways; that the DPW be charged with placing signage notifying those who use the roadways to prohibit the use of these brakes; and that the police department has some type of enforcement.
More specifically, Sanderson suggested the possibility of some signage right off Route 91 notifying drivers that where they are entering is a “no engine-brake zone.”
Michael Dekoschak, Hatfield police chief, said he agreed with the residents’ beliefs that these brakes are generally unnecessary in residential patches of town. He said that this issue has come up in the past, and the state legislature even tried banning them at one point.
But because these brakes are considered safety equipment, Dekoschak said it is difficult to develop any kind of enforcement. What constitutes an emergency is ultimately subjective to the driver.
“The question for us is, what can we do legally to help rectify this problem,” said Dekoschak. “I’m not even sure you could regulate [the brakes] where we would have some teeth to write fines for it, because it would be impossible to prove.”
Select Board member Brian Moriarty suggested that the best route to mitigate this issue is pursuing Sanderson’s first proposal, which is contacting all commercial trucking companies in town to request the prohibition of engine brakes on public roadways unless it is an emergency.
“I believe we could certainly do at least that to start,” said Moriarty. “And then when it comes to signage if we’re going to try to enforce something … we’ll definitely have to see what powers do, not just the board, the town [has].”