Why do big trucks keep getting stuck on the Notch Road?
JEFFERSONVILLE, Vt. (WCAX) - Two tractor-trailers got stuck in the notch in just four days. Its a perennial problem that causes major traffic delays, despite multiple signs warning big rig drivers before the road gets too narrow and the curves get too sharp. Like many Vermonters, Ethan Trombley knows when the Notch Road opens after a long winter, there is a chance its going to close again soon because of a stuck tractor-trailer. Its bound to happen, Trombley said. I have lived here my whole life, so every year I look forward to the stories about it.  Trombley works at Notch Road Auto Repair and says he was surprised that Thursday was the first truck of the year. I was waiting for it the first week that it opened up, he said. For tourists, its a beautiful distraction and a scenic drive up over the Green Mountains connecting Jeffersonville and Stowe. For truckers relying on GPS, it looks like a shortcut. But if they try it, there is a good chance they will end up getting stuck and backing up traffic. We do know its frustrating for the public and especially the tourists that are here staying when it takes two hours out of the day or if not more, Vt. State Tpr. Giancarlo Di Genova said. Di Genova got the call Sunday afternoon that another tractor-trailer was stuck on Route 108 on the Notch Road, the second of the season. The trooper points to five signs at each entrance of the mountain clearly stating that trucks wont get through. Two electronic boards and two stationary signs, and then you have one painted on the pavement, Di Genova noted. But trucks still take the chance, risking fines of a couple of thousand dollars, a damaged rig and hours of delayed traffic. The whole thing isnt about them not seeing the signs; everybody I have spoken to or have dealt with up here-- all have seen the signs, Di Genova said. I have never dealt with a Vermont truck driver. Its all out-of-state drivers.  Since 2009, VTrans says 92 trucks have gotten stuck in the notch, ranging from three a year to 12 a year. They say they are currently working to find a solution to what they call a serious problem. Its not clear what those solutions are yet but they say they will involve education, enforcement and engineering interventions. They also reiterated that the trucks that get stuck are not local traffic. Back at the shop, Trombley says he feels the drivers are acting while under pressure. I think they are getting pushed from people up higher from them trying to make their routes faster, he said. But getting stuck and needing to be rescued will only slow them down. Related Stories:  Another tractor-trailer gets stuck in the Notch  First stuck truck of the season on Notch Road  Copyright 2021 WCAX. All rights reserved.