Murrysville administrator: Jake brakes are 'a necessary evil'

Jake brakes on large commercial hauling trucks may not be music to the ears, but according to Murrysville Chief Administrator Jim Morrison, they’re “a necessary evil.”

Morrison was responding to recent complaints about rigs using their jake brakes on Route 22.

“When you have trucks coming down Route 22 doing 40 mph and that light at the bottom of the hill turns yellow, everyone’s glad for jake brakes,” he said.

“Jake brakes” are the common term for the Jacobs Engine Brake, which alters the operation of an engine’s exhaust and allows it to function as a power-absorbing air compressor that can slow the truck down.

It is also quite noisy, which is why many communities post signage asking drivers to restrict “jake braking” in certain areas.

Murrysville does have some signage, “but we don’t regulate traffic on Route 22, so we had to get permission from the state to do that,” Morrison said.

In addition, the signage only prohibits the use of jake brakes “with improperly maintained, defective or modified exhaust mufflers.”

“Jake brakes are standard equipment on trucks, and the only way to enforce that is the pull the trucks over and fine them if the brakes are out of specification,” Morrison said. “In the past, we’ve done truck inspections along Route 22. … But our only enforcement option is if the actual equipment is out of specification.”

FTMSA smoke testing

As part of its consent agreement with the state’s Department of Environmental Protection, the Franklin Township Municipal Sanitary Authority has received permission to perform smoke testing on laterals running from homes in the municipality.

Morrison said FTMSA officials were hoping to get permission for the testing so they didn’t need to enter residents’ homes to accomplish it.

“But there is the possibility that some homes may get a little bit of smoke in them from the testing,” he said.

FTMSA will alert residents through door knocking and information door hangers when they are preparing to test a particular area.

Hearing board opening

Murrysville council is seeking candidates for appointment to the municipal zoning hearing board.

The board is a five-person panel appointed by council to hear appeals from property owners for relief from the municipal zoning ordinance.

Anyone interested can apply or find out more at Murrysville.com, by entering “zoning hearing board” in the search field.

Paving contract

Murrysville council voted unanimously to award a $1.35 million contract for this year’s paving program to Derry Construction.

While the final list may change slightly before construction begins, it is slated to include Andrews Drive, Carson Avenue, Hills Church Road between Mamont and Sinan Farm, Meadowbrook Road between Ivy Drive and the FTMSA plant, Old William Penn Highway between Route 22 and Cline Hollow Road, Simmons Circle, Windgate Drive and Kellman Drive.