Raise the Hammer
All Hamilton residents interested in providing input on our new truck route are encouraged to read this report [PDF link] and be sure to send in your feedback this week.
Unfortunately, none of the options address the huge quality-of-life problems associated with heavy truck traffic dominating our downtown core.
Option 2 takes trucks off a few short blocks of King, Bay and York, but the preferred option leaves the trucks on Bay and York, near the Market. I know I'll enjoy the renovated York Blvd streetscape and Farmers' Market with those beautiful transport trucks speeding by.
Main, Cannon and York are proposed to be left exactly as is. After all, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?
Your input is needed badly in this study. Unfortunately, many downtown residents had no faith from the start that this process was actually interested in the quality-of-life and business in our downtown neighbourhoods. I'm sure the Chamber of Commerce would be up in arms if we suggested that trucks use our multi-billion dollar ring highway system.
Please take a few minutes to make your voice heard. Safe, healthy cities only happen through the active involvement of their citizens.
By matthewsweet (registered) | Posted November 29, 2009 at 23:37:04
Someone should cut and paste the first few pages of that report and exchange the word "truck" for any of "pedestrian", "cyclist" etc. Imagine the thought that a cyclist network through the city should be continuous with no dead ends. Rather the opposite of what is in place now. Note that of the "major institutions" mentioned in the report, only a two are within the downtown core and would therefore absolutely require using downtown streets to access them.
By jason (registered) | Posted November 29, 2009 at 23:42:25
yea, the report is pretty bad. This is a big waste of money. Another report with a foregone conclusion. I don't think mega transport trucks are making deliveries to some small business downtown. I've followed several and I've never seen one stop downtown - they have all headed to the NE industrial district (from York or Main and the 403 ramps).
Regardless, I think its important to make your opinion known on this one. I save emails to council and police and will pull them out if one of these trucks ever kills someone in our neighbourhood. Council and the police have had AMPLE warning and are doing nothing about it.
By Dave Kuruc (anonymous) | Posted November 30, 2009 at 11:10:39
Just had one make a huge CRASHING sound when cutting through James via Cannon. This is what I call Economic Development!
By Tammany (anonymous) | Posted November 30, 2009 at 12:25:57
The report states: "Virtually all goods in Hamilton are delivered by truck. Good movement is thus key to the city's economy."
Sure at some point in the supply chain most (and maybe, yes, virtually all) goods are transported by truck. But, as Jason correctly notes, most businesses are not receiving - or, in the alternative, need not receive - shipments via mega transport trucks. The city's economy does need trucks in order to function, yes, but the case simply isn't made out to support the proposition that it needs the continued free flow of huge semis through the core in order to thrive.
What about restricting core access to mid-sized Hino or Mitsubishi type cab-over trucks? These are mostly what you see on the streets of genuinely thriving cities like Toronto or Manhattan, not massive semis slamming down the street pulling two trailers full of scrap metal or steel roll.
By frank (registered) | Posted November 30, 2009 at 13:05:54
That's what my suggestion was. I believe Britain uses a system of paying for access for larger vehicles (they go even further).
If that's actually what the report states it's a failure in logic...unless that's a snippet. They're two separate statements. Good movement is definitely key...but movement of what? Movement of goods is key for sure, however it's not necessarily a requirement that trucks move well especially if it's not necessary for 18 wheelers to deliver those goods.
By Tammany (anonymous) | Posted November 30, 2009 at 14:07:14
That is a direct quote.
By JM (registered) | Posted December 01, 2009 at 10:59:49
Dave,
That crashing sound is the truck crumbling the concrete crosswalks @ James into pieces.......
By JM (registered) | Posted December 02, 2009 at 10:31:45
Thanks JM - I know it well. Bad combo of materials if you ask me - it doesn't help that 18-wheelers are going 80 km/hr barreling for the highway.
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