LETTER: Thiensville police are failing to enforce truck weight limits

To Ozaukee Press:

In 2013, the Village of Thiensville reconstructed Green Bay Road from Grand Avenue to the north village limits, costing Thiensville taxpayers over $300,000. Signs were posted limiting truck weight to 10,000 pounds.

In 2019, a condo development north of Thiensville on Green Bay Road in the City of Mequon was started. Many cement and gravel trucks began using Green Bay Road in Thiensville to reach the Mequon site, even though extra signs were posted warning truckers of the weight limitations. I was told the truckers were advised to enter the construction site from the north using Highland Road as their route.

I contacted the Thiensville Police Department four times via telephone, but no action was taken. I visited the police department twice and spoke to Chief Kurtis Kleppin about the lack of enforcement, but he apparently wasn’t concerned about the damage which will occur on Green Bay Road if these trucks continue to use this road.

I spoke to the retired former village administrator about this problem and was told that if these overweight trucks continue to use this road, the pavement will break up since it was not designed for heavy trucks. That is why the weight limit is 10,000 pounds.

 The average empty weight of cement trucks is 27,000 pounds; the loaded weight is 70,000 pounds. Quad-axle gravel trucks have an average empty weight of 25,000 pounds; loaded with gravel, the weight is 75,000 pounds.

This month, I tried to contact the police chief again about the trucks operating illegally on Green Bay Road; he has not returned my call.

 It is quite apparent that Chief Kleppin thinks that he is not accountable to the citizens of Thiensville. Thiensville deserves a chief who is capable of enforcing all local ordinances. In the meantime, our roads are taking a beating. We have a serious problem which must be addressed.

 Roy Wetzel
Thiensville
The letter writer is a former Thiensville village president and police sergeant.