Big rigs traveling through Athens will now have one less way to slow down while on their journey.

The City Council voted unanimously Jan. 25 to amend the Code of Athens and ban the use of engine compression brakes, commonly known as “jake brakes,” within city limits.

Councilman Wayne Harper said he introduced the measure because some residents in his district had complained about the noise generated by tractor trailers using engine compression braking on Alabama 127 at night.

Harper said he had spoken with Director of Public Works James Rich on the issue, and he was “very helpful.”

“I would appreciate it if we would get this one introduced fast,” Harper told his fellow Council members. “The state will put up the signs (saying compression brakes are not allowed), but we have to pass an ordinance before they will do that.”

Harper told The News Courier on Tuesday the signage will be up to the Alabama Department of Transportation, because most tractor-trailer traffic in the city uses state roads. While the exact amount of time it will take for the signs to be put in place is unknown at this time, Harper said the citywide ban went into immediate effect.

Many cities across the country have banned the use of engine compression brakes because the action produces a loud noise that has been equated to machine-gun fire, lawn mowers or jackhammers by various sources.

Harper said he was surprised to find Athens did not already have a similar ordinance in place.

Who is Jake?

The method is referred to colloquially as “jake brakes” because a company called Jacobs Vehicle Systems was the first to produce these devices.

According to the company’s website, a jake brake is “a diesel engine retarder that uses the engine to aid in slowing and controlling the vehicle. When activated, the engine brake alters the operation of the engine’s exhaust valves so that the engine works as a power-absorbing air compressor. This provides a retarding, or slowing, action to the vehicle’s drive wheels, enabling you to have improved vehicle control without using the service brakes.”