Construction On Capital Boulevard Leaves Businesses In The Dust

David O'Neal Chrysler and other businesses along Capitol Boulevard have been dealing with dust on their cars for two weeks, and it is hurting sales.

Trucks with tons of fill dirt are passing by the dealership at a rate of as many as six trucks a minute. As a result, the dealership has been washing about 250 vehicles a day.

The trucks are taking fill dirt from the future site of the Triangle Towne Center and dumping it up the road for a state funded project -- construction of the Outer Loop's Capitol Boulevard interchange.

Businesses along the road have complained to a number of agencies about the problem, but nothing can be done because no regulations have been broken.

"For the most part, they are abiding by the weight regulations, the load securement regulations and the speeding regulations within the work zone," says DMV officer Keith King. "The big problem is the climate. We've had no rain for about a month."

The contractor has watered the roads and offered to clean the cars, but that has not helped. The contractor may be driving near the businesses for another month. The company hopes it will soon have another route to take.