HUTTO – The Hutto City Council joined Austin, Round Rock and Georgetown in designating
State Hwy. 130 as a Non-Radioactive Hazardous Materials route. This means trucks carrying NRHM must now stay on SH 130 if they are passing through Hutto.
The city created the NRHM ordinance April 6, at the request of the city of Austin, as required by the Texas Department of Transportation. Previously, trucks carrying hazardous materials were able to choose any route through Hutto and Austin-area cities.
“Doing (the ordinance) triggers a few things locally, including our ability to enforce and cite trucks who carry these types of materials on city streets. If we’d chosen not to participate, we would continue to be unable to enforce the matter,” said city spokesperson Allison Strupeck.
Not all cities along the route decided to participate. According to a TxDOT memo, Pflugerville declined the request.
“The city of Pflugerville has chosen not to establish a NRHM route for the sections of (State Highway) 45 and SH 130 on the proposed overall route in their city limits. The existing conditions allowing NRHM traffic on all on-system roads will continue to be in effect within the Pflugerville city limits,” The TxDOT memo said.
Trucks may exit SH 130 within city limits in order to refuel or for other necessities, but must keep to the nearest intersection or frontage road.
The majority of NRHM consists of petroleum products such as gasoline, according to TxDOT. NRHM can also be explosives, toxic inhalation hazards, infectious substances and acids among other nonradioactive materials.
Trucks, which exit SH 130 to make deliveries within the Hutto area, must now follow a route, which keeps them on the safest streets to get to their destination. The safest routes are classified by the Federal Highway Administration from highest to lowest as (1) designated interstate highway; (2) designated United States highway; (3) designated state highway; (4) other designated freeways and expressways; (5) principal arterial street (roadways serving long distance trips); (6) minor arterial street (roadways serving moderate length trips); (7) collector street (roadways serving short length trips from arterial to local streets); and (8) local street.
Violations of the ordinance would be punishable by a fine of $500 to $2,000, according to the city.
Residents who see a truck with hazardous materials signage that they suspect are in violation of the safest route ordinance should report it to the Hutto non-emergency police number, 512-759-5978.
