Persons on campus identified increasing problems related to semi-tractor or large, 30 foot plus trucks including:

• - Increasing numbers of new campus buildings with plans for large truck docks yet site limitations
• - Campus traffic congestion
• - Concerns for pedestrian and bicyclist safety
• - Issues about campus roads for which repair funds are diminishing

These issues led the Division of Facilities Planning and Management (FP&M) to create an ad hoc committee to study the current situation and develop recommendations for reducing large truck traffic within campus boundaries.

A group consisting of staff from Transportation Services, Space Management, Physical Plant, Materials Distribution Services (MDS), Wisconsin Union and University Housing began meeting in December of 1998. Information was also communicated to UW Hospital Authority and campus building managers. Surveys were conducted regarding current dock usage and material delivery, dock locations were mapped, and dry bulk supplies for campus needs were inventoried.  Issues of efficiency related to large versus small trucks, different methods of delivery, and larger orders of goods were reviewed. The goal is to reduce large truck and semi traffic on campus streets where alternative delivery means are available.

Large campus units such as University Housing and the Wisconsin Union cooperatively examined all aspects of the problems and considered a wide variety of possible solutions. The following recommendations are made for a one-year trial period and will rely primarily upon voluntary compliance for the first year. The policy excludes campus service vehicles, private construction vehicles, and certain academic exceptions such as large School of Veterinary Medicine and Elvehjem Museum of Art delivery vehicles.  Additional requests for policy exceptions should be made to the Director of Transportation Services.

1. No additional large dock facilities shall be constructed on campus without specific approval of the Campus Planning Committee.
2. Beginning no later than January 1, 2000, vendors will be notified that dry bulk/non-food supplies (see inventory list and catalog at MDS) shipped via semi or trucks greater than 30 feet long for most campus units should be delivered only to the MDS facility at 2102  Wright Street. However, MDS will not accept any radioactive or perishable materials or any large non-palletized items. Delivery of the goods will be made to campus via MDS vehicles less than 30 feet long.  (See also Purchasing Policy and Procedure Number:  PPP 32)
3. MDS agrees to deliver department purchased goods within one working day of receipt without charge during the one year pilot phase of policy implementation.
4. Short-term storage (two weeks or more) as well as long term storage and palletization fees will be charged according to the policy addendum, also attached.
5. Alternate bid proposals for delivery of campus goods via vehicles less than 30 feet will be sought for cost study and comparison for the next two years prior to formalization of an ongoing purchasing policy requirement.
6. MDS will continue to work with all campus departments regarding efficient and cost-effective purchasing, with the goal of increasing their inventory where additional items are needed and can be bulk-ordered. Inventory lists will be reviewed by users and stock items will be ordered, based upon customer request.
7. A "No Large Truck" designation will be made for campus streets north of University Avenue according to the following conditions:
   1. Allow north/south travel on Walnut Street and Charter Street
   2. Allow north/south travel on Babcock Drive on weekdays before 8:30 a.m. and after 3:30 p.m.
   3. Allow east/west travel on Linden Drive (between Babcock Drive and Charter Street) on weekdays before 8:30 a.m. and after 3:30 p.m.
   4. Restrict east/west travel on Observatory Drive at all times
8. This policy will be reviewed for implementation and possible extension by the Campus Planning Committee and/or Campus Purchasing Policy development group.
    

For a map of campus truck routes, click here.