Board acting chairman Steve Walker said he was concerned Dunedin City Council staff had decided to grant six new permits to Southern Transport.
The move meant the company would be able to operate six logging trucks on Blueskin Rd, which wound its way from Mt Cargill Rd, near Waitati, over the hill to Port Chalmers.
Mr Walker said the road was tight in places and narrowed to just 5m in width at a sharp bend beside the Scott Monument, which "ultimately puts the safety of the public at risk".
Trucks heading down the hill towards Port Chalmers would have to cross on to the wrong side of the road to negotiate the bend at the monument, which was also a blind corner for motorists heading up the hill, he said.
"The potential for a serious crash on a number of corners on this road is extremely high, particularly at this time of the year when roads are damp or icy," he said.
Some encounters had already occurred at the corner, with motorists forced to reverse to make room for a truck rounding the corner, he claimed.
However, council asset ownership policy engineer Pieter Besuijen said the permits were granted as part of an arrangement dating back more than 10 years and did not amount to "any significant change".
The road had a 14-tonne weight restriction in place, meaning vehicles weighing more needed a council permit to use the route as a shortcut, he said.
The number of two-year permits issued to vehicles remained "relatively static" over time, with "less than 40" held by six operators at present, including those just issued to Southern Transport, he said.
Logging trucks had in the past been allowed to carry loads down the road, but were now only allowed to use it while unladen and piggy-backing their trailers, he said.
Drivers were also told to avoid conflict with other motorists and warned complaints could lead to permits being revoked.
The road at the Scott Monument corner was "not as wide as it is in some other places", but truck drivers sitting higher above the road had better visibility than those driving cars, he said.
"If [the truck driver] has to go over the centre line, he has to make sure it's safe. It happens in town all the time."
Larger vehicles holding permits were required to use pilot vehicles and traffic management plans when using the road.
Roading improvements were also being considered, including installing mirrors at the Scott Monument corner to improve visibility, he said.
Mr Walker said the issue would be raised with council staff at the board's next meeting on July 13.
