Four signs that appeared in recent weeks have some Mid-Missourians wondering what they mean.
The white signs with the letters "HM" covered by a red circle and a slash across the letters mean "no hazardous materials allowed."
Jefferson City Fire Department Division Chief Jason Turner told the News Tribune those signs were posted to notify truck drivers of an ordinance that's been on the books since 1977.
"What the ordinance really calls for is flammable liquids," Turner said. "Anything over 4,500 gallons is not permitted."
But, until recently, he said, "local distributors knew what the ordinance was. And, as the industry has grown, and as Phillips Pipeline has expanded - obviously, with more trucks coming into town, it was harder for us to enforce the ordinance.
"We tried it by educating those from out of town, but it got to be to a point to where it was something that we needed to do just to identify those areas where we don't allow hazardous materials - flammable liquids - transported across."
So the signs were placed facing southbound traffic at the Dunklin Street intersections with Madison and Jefferson streets, and facing northbound traffic at the Jefferson Street intersection with Stadium Boulevard, and on the Madison Street off-ramp from U.S. 54.
Public Works Operations Division Director Britt Smith told the News Tribune: "At the request of the Fire Department, we posted these signs to reinforce this ordinance to fuel tanker drivers, some of whom, were reportedly using Madison Street as a bypass between 54 and 50/63."
The ordinance reads: "No tank vehicle having a capacity of forty-five hundred (4,500) gallons or more, when containing gasoline, kerosene, fuel oil or other flammable liquid shall be operated or propelled within the limits of the city except on Highways 50, 54, 94, 63, 179, Routes W, C, B, Industrial Drive, Truman Boulevard, Fairgrounds Road, South Country Club Drive from Highway 50 to Fairgrounds Road and from Fairgrounds Road to Route C, and Cedar City Drive."
The ordinance does allow those trucks to deliver fuel to gas stations - when it first was written, there was a Derby station at Madison and Ashley streets that now is a used car lot.
"They have the right to travel there to make their deliveries," Turner said, as long as, the ordinance says, the trucks use "the most direct route to and from the place where the loading or unloading is to be done or the repairs are to be made. Should it be necessary for such a vehicle to depart from the above-named roads, streets, and highways for any purpose other than mentioned above, the operator of the vehicle shall first obtain permission from the fire department before making such departure.
"The fire department shall give such permission if the public health, safety and welfare will not be endangered thereby."