CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Bradley County Road Superintendent Tom Collins says he has no reason to restrict logging trucks that use Lower River Road as they return to Georgia after unloading at Bowater’s newsprint plant in Charleston, Tenn.

Two weeks ago Charleston resident James McElrath complained to the Bradley County Commission about the trucks rumbling past his house.

“I have no problems or anything about Tennessee trucks driving on our county roads because they pay taxes with their licenses,” Mr. McElrath said.

But he said he feared the out-of-state trucks are damaging county roads and bridges.

Commissioners expressed concern about bridge safety and asked County Mayor D. Gary Davis to talk to Charleston city officials about posting a weight limit on a bridge within the city limits.

Otherwise, commissioners said, they cannot interfere with interstate commerce. They also said they have to be careful not to restrict milk trucks and other farm trucks in the area.

Mr. Collins came to a County Commission meeting last week to respond to Mr. McElrath’s concerns.

“In a perfect world, commercial vehicles would have their road and we would have smaller car roads. We don’t have that,” he said.

A review of Lower River Road accidents the past few years shows no big trucks were involved, Mr. Collins said.

The trucks follow accepted routes through Cleveland to the mill in north Bradley County on the Hiwassee River, Mr. Collins said. They use Lower River Road as part of their return trip.

Commissioner Mel Griffith noted the truck drivers are trying to save money but also save fuel, a goal everyone is trying to meet.