Muffling heavy-truck noise

And the residents hope it's a solution that won't go away after the next crackdown by Tucson police.

That's what happened last week, a few days after police heavily patrolled the subdivision. The Mesquite Ranch Neighborhood Association boundaries are South Houghton Road, East Bilby Road, Pantano Wash and East Poorman Road.

Only a few dozen dump trucks traveled along Poorman Road on March 26 en route to a sand-and-gravel operation at the eastern end of Poorman.

That seemed conspicuous to Steve Shoun, who lives in the 10600 block of Rose Hill Street, which runs parallel to Poorman just inside the southern edge of Mesquite Ranch.

"There were only maybe 50 or 60 trucks that day," Shoun said — down from the 200 or so trucks that he says travel back and forth along Poorman on an average day.

"I said, 'Something's going on. The word must've gotten out.' "

Sure enough, he said, the next day the big dump trucks came back — in force.

"You'll be standing in the backyard and you can't even carry on a conversation," Shoun said. "You can't hear the other person talking."

Tom Rosenow, who lives a few doors down from Shoun, said he, too, noticed a big increase in truck traffic on Poorman, on the other side of a block wall that runs along the southern boundary of the subdivision.

"They'll pull up and stop and put their wheels down right behind my house," Rosenow said.

Rosenow said it was among the worst days he's had to put up with since he and his wife, Bev, moved into their home five years ago.

A history of problems

Residents say truckers for years have been stopping along Poorman to drop their load-stabilizing axles before picking up a load at the sand-and-gravel operation.

Randy Pierce, president of the Mesquite Ranch Neighborhood Association, said the truckers oftentimes will stop on Poorman on their way out to check their load and tires, and make cell-phone calls.

When that happens — especially when several trucks line up along Poorman, the Rosenows and other residents along the southern edge of the subdivision must endure the noise of idling trucks, the shriek and hiss of air brakes and the smell of diesel exhaust.

Several trucking companies use Poorman to get to and from Vulcan Materials Co.'s Black Angus Plant at the end of Poorman, on the banks of the Pantano Wash.

Pierce said that based on residents' observations, the worst offender is Arizona Trucking and Materials.

Dana Dellheim, owner of Arizona Trucking and Materials, said he doesn't think his company's drivers are responsible for the problem, because he advised them last year not to stop along Poorman.

"Last year we received complaints, and we responded to them immediately," he said.

Dellheim said he posted notices telling them not to park along Poorman and to wait until after 6 a.m., when the Vulcan plant opens.

Dellheim said he didn't know who's causing problems for the residents.

Looking for a solution

Pierce is dubious.

"They're just going to give you the standard line, but they're the people who are mostly doing it," he said.

In response, Mesquite Ranch residents will step up their surveillance of the road, he said. Residents already routinely photograph trucks that park in the bike lane.

Pierce said they plan to use video "as it is much more difficult to dispute video and sound together."

The residents also have talked with Tucson police officials about allowing an officer to watch the traffic from their backyards, he said.

Dellheim said he, too, would like a solution.

He said one possibility is for the city to improve a dirt access road that leads from the Vulcan sand-and-gravel operation to Valencia Road.

Pierce, who also likes that idea, points out that the road would provide the truckers with a more direct route to Valencia, which would allow them to avoid the difficult task of turning onto Houghton, a busy two-lane road.

Dellheim and Pierce both have talked about the idea with aides from City Councilwoman Shirley Scott's Ward 4 office.

City officials may explore that idea, Andy Squire, a Scott aide, said Friday.

In the meanwhile, the city will continue to try to solve the issue through enforcement, Squire said.

You'll be standing in the backyard and you can't even carry on a conversation. You can't hear the other person talking.

Steve Shoun

Mesquite Ranch resident