Cambridge city councillors question next steps in downtown truck diversion plan
Downtown Galt is a little quieter these days, largely in part due to a city and regional initiative to keep transport trucks out of the urban core.
“It's not exactly conducive to bringing people here from a tourist perspective,” said Coun. Adam Cooper.
Fewer and fewer transport trucks are using downtown Galt as a cut-through to get to their final destination.
“This has been working, yes,” said Coun. Ross Earnshaw. “It's definitely had a beneficial effect. I, of course, don't have the ability to do a study as such, but I live right downtown and I walk around a lot. Anecdotally, I can tell you there are fewer trucks.”
According to the Region of Waterloo, since the opening of the truck bypass route at McQueen Shaver Boulevard, they've seen a 20 to 25 per cent reduction in trucks through the downtown.
Since the start of the truck ban, along will signage, education and enforcement, they have seen:
- A 56 per cent fewer trucks from Water Street South to the Delta.
- A 60 per cent decrease between Water Street South and Ainslie Street, north of Concession Street
- A 64 per cent drop on Concession Street, east of Ainslie Street
But with the success of the program also comes some concerns about future plans for one main road.
According to a regional report, the current physical design of downtown streets continues to provide shortcut opportunities for some truck drivers.
The report goes on to say that aside from continued police enforcement, the most effective way to discourage trucks is for a redesign that focuses on movement by walking and cycling.
To some on Cambridge city council, bike lanes on Ainslie Street is a problem.
“They’re stating that in a report to the regional councillors,” Cooper said. “To me, there's just no connection just to completely separate issues.”
According to Cooper, a plan that would eliminate parking in favour of bike lanes does not make sense for Ainslie Street.
“All you're doing is forcing congestion and if they think that's going to deter the trucks, I don't know.”
He says the best method to keep trucks out of the core is for proper signage of the truck bypass route,
“There is a sign that says that they can go right, but there's nothing actually telling them that the vast majority of them, they need to go right there, otherwise they go past that,” he said.
A decision is set to be made later this summer on the redesign of Ainslie Street.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6930794.1718830568!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Calls for change to B.C.'s child protection system after disturbing case of neglect
Is B.C.'s child protection system outdated and in need of a major overhaul? The province's representative for children and youth believes so, and that 'a new model' is needed.
Ont. mother loses $6K during Facebook marketplace transaction
An Ontario woman is sharing her story after she lost $6,000 by clicking a fraudulent link disguised to look like an e-transfer during a Facebook Marketplace transaction.
Rapper Travis Scott arrested for disorderly intoxication, trespassing early Thursday
American rapper Travis Scott, whose legal name is Jacques Bermon Webster, was arrested and booked into Miami-Dade County Jail early Thursday morning, county jail records show.
Manitoba hit with five tornadoes last week
Tornado season entered Manitoba with a bang last week.
Train collision in Chile kills at least 2 people and injures 9 others
At least two people were killed and nine others injured Thursday when a train full of passengers collided head-on with another train on a test run just outside the capital of Chile, where fatal railway crashes remain rare.
Senators approve bill to fight foreign interference after voting down amendment
The Senate has passed a government bill intended to help deter, investigate and punish foreign interference.
Gunman in Toronto shooting was not evil, but 'broken' by fraud dispute: wife
The wife of the gunman in Monday's double murder-suicide in North York says she doesn't consider her husband an evil person, but one who was 'broken' by a lengthy fraud dispute that saw their family savings drained.
Illegally brewed liquor kills at least 34 with dozens hospitalized in southern India
At least 34 people have died and dozens hospitalized after drinking illegally brewed liquor in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, local media reported on Thursday.
Heat warnings blanket the east and in Northwest Territories; humidex temperatures push the mid-40s
Heat warnings blanket Canada's eastern corridor Thursday as the year's first major heat wave drags on, and even parts of Northwest Territories are feeling the burn.