Calera officials recently completed a traffic study to determine the number of large trucks that drive through the city each week &045; information which may be useful in developing a bypass for the city.

Calera Public Works Director David Jones addressed city council members Monday night, detailing a traffic count completed during the previous week.

The study calculated the number of times that trucks with 10 wheels or more drove through city intersections.

Jones said that trucks drove through intersections within Calera city limits a total of 43,370 times during the week.

Engineers will next determine the total number of trucks that drive through Calera on a weekly basis.

The total number surprised Jones, who said that Calera has a problem with large trucks on city roads.

He said all types of trucks drive through the city, including logging trucks, paving trucks and rock haulers.

Chris Pappas, project manager for CARR and Associates, said he will analyze information from the traffic study before making a recommendation to Calera City Council.

Pappas said the city is considering building a bypass either around the north or south end of downtown.

&uot;The study is a tool to help determine the best way to alleviate truck traffic through downtown,&uot; Pappas said.

&uot;We will digest these numbers and study the route and frequency (of large trucks).&uot;

Traffic congestion has been the primary reason for city leaders to consider a Calera bypass, Pappas said. However, heavy trucks also impact road paving.

In other news from Calera City Council:

* Property owners addressed city council about notices for public hearings at planning and zoning meetings. Although the planning and zoning board serves only in an advisory capacity to the city council, public hearings must be publicized. One property owner said he received no notice of public hearings for planning and zoning meetings concerning neighboring property.

Mayor George Roy said he would check on the matter.

* Council approved the purchase of a laser crime scene system for the police department. The machine is used to make diagrams of crime scenes, which can be stored on computer disk as evidence.

* The approved a bid from Earl Dudley Associates for the purchase of a survey grade GPS measuring system.

* The police department bought rumble strips which will be used to control traffic