The City of New Westminster hopes to push truck traffic onto perimeter roads surrounding city.
The city has asked TransLink to remove Royal Avenue, East Eighth Avenue and portions of East Columbia Street and Ewen Avenue from the city’s truck route network. Following feedback gathered during the master transportation planning process, the city presented the proposed truck route changes to TransLink on March 28.
“The increase of traffic on our road network, especially heavy truck traffic is of great concern to council and is unacceptable to our community,” said Coun. Jaimie McEvoy, co-chair of the city’s master transportation plan committee. “These recommended changes are designed to reduce community impacts, while providing appropriate alternatives for regional goods movement through New Westminster.”
TransLink staff is now reviewing the city’s submission, with the goal of preparing a report for consideration at TransLink’s board meeting in July.
On Monday, council adopted a resolution officially asking TransLink to remove the routes from the city’s truck network. The city had previously forwarded submissions to TransLink requesting the removal of these roads from the truck route, but TransLink had requested a consolidated resolution from the city.
McEvoy said a new elementary school is being built on Royal Avenue at the former St. Mary’s Hospital site and the city needs to make sure the site is safe, something that’s harder to do if trucks are barreling through the community.
“It’s not going to become a highway for trucks,” Mayor Wayne Wright said of Royal Avenue.
Coun. Betty McIntosh noted that East Eighth Avenue is a totally residential neighbourhood.
“I’ve seen trucks blowing their horns when they can’t stop,” she said. “Pedestrians better continue to be vigilant.”
City administrator Lisa Spitale said TransLink’s move to New Westminster was a bit of “serendipity” as it didn’t fully realize the city’s traffic issues until it relocated its head office to the Sapperton.
“It is anticipated that, once TransLink staff and its board have reviewed the submission, the city will be requested to respond to a number of conditions in order to achieve truck route removal on some or all of the routes recommended for removal,” stated a staff report.
