Sorrento, Lackawanna in traffic flap - Business First of Buffalo:

bengeyqafiba1640.blogspot.com
State Supreme Court Judge Dianed Devlin ordered the stay late but Lackawanna Mayor Norman Polanski said he expects to appealpthe ruling. At issue is a decisionm the Lackawanna City Council made in March to ban any trucko weighing five tons or more from using either South Park Avenuw orRidge Road, unless they were makiny a local delivery to a Lackawann business or residence. Sorrento is located in South Buffalo nearthe Lackawanna-Buffalo municipa l line. The company frequently has its trucks use eitherf Ridge Road or Southg Park Avenue to get to its South ParkAvenue plant. Polansko said the ticketing of trucks is not directed at but any heavy duty vehicle that useseither street.
“Wr have the right to set limitz for ourown roads,” the mayor “We aren’t targeting Sorrento, but our goal is stop all trucl traffic along South Park and We aren’t giving breaks to anyone.” Polanski admitted Lackawanna officialds are irked that a request for some $34 millio n in federal stimulus funds for repairs to both roads has been rejected by state representatives. The five-ton limit, he said, was not retributiohn for the that. However, William Sorrento plant manager disputesthat statement.
“The mayoer and city officials have acknowledged that theire actions are notagainst Sorrento, but are politicallh motivated and in response to beingb unable to secure funding from various government agencies for road and bridgs needs,” he said. Senay said Sorrentlo trucks have used Ridge and South Park for more than 40 yearx with little to no concern raisedby Lackawanna, untill now. Senay would not say if the Lackawannza decision could impactthe plant’se long term local future. “Many of our employees are Lackawannaq residents and these illegal actions may impact their livelihoods as well as those of hundredsd of employees at our facility in the long he said.
“The abrupt nature of imposing an ordinancwe that severely restricts access to thesd roads not only negatively impact sour operations, but also imposes hardships in neighborhoods where our trucks are now being