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.