Hey Hamilton: this is your chance to tell heavy truck traffic where to go
If you live in Hamilton and want to tell heavy truck traffic where to go, you're not alone.
More than 350 people registered for a three-hour virtual public meeting Thursday aimed at getting citizen feedback on a review of the city's truck route master plan.
At one point, 240 people tuned in simultaneously - which might be a virtual engagement record during COVID, said transportation planning manager Steve Molloy - and the website was viewed 190,000 times in the month leading up to the session.
If you haven't weighed in yet on the proposed designated routes for heavy trucks - think 18-wheelers, dump trucks and tankers - you have until July 9 to share your opinion at hamilton.ca/trmp.
We had a lot of people participate, which is amazing," said Molloy, adding the city has committed to reviewing all feedback before preparing a recommendation for councillors this fall. We are expecting many more comments."
Feedback from residents Thursday night ranged from criticism of new rural truck routes like Concession 11 East in Flamborough to concerns about a daytime-only" truck route experiment through the lower city.
But the most common questions so far - at the meeting, and on social media - revolve around plans to maintain truck routes through the downtown.
A growing coalition of residents and advocacy groups like Environment Hamilton have called on the city to ban highway-bound trucks from the downtown. They argue large trucks heading to or from the industrial port lands should exclusively rely on Burlington Street-Nikola Tesla Boulevard to connect with major highways or parkways.
The draft plan does cut out some existing downtown routes, but still maintains daytime east-west options along Main, King and Cannon as well as north-south links like Queen and Bay.
Why it was considered necessary to have trucks routes across the downtown at all?" asked Beasley neighbourhood resident John Neary. Most cities route trucks to avoid their downtowns."
City staff and consultants told residents the review is seeking to balance the priorities of industries that need truck deliveries with those of residents seeking a better quality of life.
They said a preferred route through the core still makes sense because everything from grocery stores to coffee shops need large truck deliveries.
But Thomas Bernacki said residents aren't worried about local delivery trucks, but rather the pipeline" of 18-wheelers carrying grain and other goods from the port to the highway. He argued that parade of trucks using a downtown shortcut to the highway is severely impacting quality of life for people."
The latest draft route proposes to reduce the impact of downtown trucks by cutting out some streets and banning nighttime trips through the core. Consultants noted some residents have complained about being woken at night by the roar of heavy diesel vehicles.
But a nighttime ban doesn't help pedestrians or bike riders on Cannon or Bay Streets who feel vulnerable during the day, said cycling advocate Chris Ritsma. The majority of truck travel seems to happen during the day anyway, so I'm not sure a (night ban) would offer that much improvement," he said.
Matthew Van Dongen is a Hamilton-based reporter covering transportation for The Spectator. Reach him via email: mvandongen@thespec.com