There are two Cooper Drives in Union County — one within El Dorado city limits and the other just outside city limits, off Industrial Road — and they are reportedly wreaking havoc with some global positioning systems.
The El Dorado-Union County Chamber of Commerce has asked the El Dorado City Council to assist with clearing up confusion for truck drivers who attempt to make deliveries and pickups to industries on Industrial Road but are rerouted to the Cooper Drive off West Hillsboro between Hayes and Timberlane.
Brandon Barnette, economic development manager for the Chamber of Commerce, joined Robert Edmonds, director of public works for the City of El Dorado, in addressing city officials about the matter.
During a regular council meeting Feb. 20, Edmonds explained that when some truck drivers program their GPSes, they are directed to Cooper Drive off West Hillsboro.
The two-block, mostly residential area sits on a dead-end street.
“So you get an 18-wheeler that pulls all the way down a dead-end street and then they have to back all the way back out of Cooper Drive and across Hillsboro, so there’s been a request made that we change the name of our Cooper Drive,” Edmonds told council members.
Barnette offered a clarification, saying that the initial request from the Industrial Park companies was for city officials to consider “anything that can be done to alleviate their trucks getting routed to that Cooper Drive in the city.”
He said the chamber receives at least one notification a week from the industries, located just east of town, who report that truck drivers who are expected for deliveries or pickups have been led to the wrong Cooper Drive.
Barnette noted that three industries operate on Cooper Drive in Union County: Polyethelene Containers, Inc.; Anthony Forest Products; and Lycus, Ltd., which manufactures ultra-violet light stabilizers for use in plastics, coatings, adhesives, polyester films, cosmetic-product protection and other personal-care applications.
“And there’s three lots that could have future companies operating from that Cooper Drive road,” he said.
Edmonds and Barnette noted there are less than a dozen houses on Cooper Drive in El Dorado. The said they have not spoken with any Cooper Drive residents about a potential change in the name of the street.
A public hearing would be required for such a measure, Edmonds added.
Councilmember Judy Ward inquired about adding signs indicating Cooper Drive-Hillsboro is a dead-end street and that it is closed to through-traffic, particularly large trucks.
Edmonds said GPS routing systems can pose significant problems for drivers.
He said an 18-wheeler recently sank in a marshy area after a driver’s GPS led him off Del-Tin Highway, onto a pipeline right-of-way and around a gate.
“So those GPS things, they are a real problem. We can try a dead-end or no truck-traffic signs,” Edmonds said.
To distinguish the two drives, Councilmember Andre Rucks suggested replacing “Drive” with “Lane” or “Parkway” to the title of the Cooper Drive within city limits.
After further discussion, city officials agreed to post signs and gauge the effectiveness of the measure, rather than considering a name-change for the street.
“I’d like to see that because I know for those residents, it’s going to be a problem and I do see the problem with the truck drivers too …” Councilmember Vance Williamson said.
Added Councilmember Mike Rice, “They’re probably only going to do it once, so hopefully they make the mistake and they learn the difference.”
Barnette said that since the chamber was first notified about the issue last November, about a dozen more notifications have come in.
He said the Industrial Park companies largely attribute the problem to new truck drivers who are not familiar with the area and the correct route.
Williamson pointed out that even with a name-change for the city street, he did not know how long it would take for GPS routers to pick up on the change.
“Putting up the signs would definitely, maybe, keep them from turning down the road but it’ll still bring them to the road,” Barnette said.
Mayor Veronica Smith-Creer suggested that the city post signs and speak with Cooper Drive residents.
“They may be willing to change the name if they feel like it’s a problem but if they’re not, I’d like to see us do whatever we could beforehand to keep from doing that,” Smith-Creer said.
“Whatever we do, I think the signs are an absolute must,” Councilmember Paul Choate added.