A Port Metro Vancouver pilot project designed to ensure container trucks travel along Clark Drive and east along Hastings Street to Highway 1 as their route into the port ends Jan. 25, but the city is imposing new traffic regulations to ensure trucks stick to the new route.
Port-destined container trucks won't be able to make right turns from Knight Street onto 41st Avenue or from Clark Drive onto Broadway, and they won't be able to make left turns off of Broadway onto Nanaimo or Renfrew streets.
A truck speed limit of 30 km/hr is also being imposed on Nanaimo and Renfrew streets between Broadway and McGill streets.
Jerry Dobrovolny, the city's director of transportation, said the turn restrictions are aimed at port-bound trucks, while many types of trucks, such as cube trucks, dump trucks and cement trucks, use Nanaimo and Renfrew, which creates the need for the speed reduction.
"The speed limit is one that's changed for all trucks. there are a number of schools along that corridor, there's a lot of residential on that corridor, and speed was brought to us as a concern from the residents in the neighbourhood," he said.
The port's pilot project for container trucks started Aug. 25 after residents complained about safety concerns that arose after the port closed the Clark Drive entrance into the port in June of last year. Trucks started using Nanaimo Street as part of their new route into the port to shave time off their trips, which created traffic concerns from residents.
"The [pilot project] route stays the same, it's just the enforcement mechanism has changed from the port licensing agreement [with truckers] to using city traffic signs," Dobrovolny said. "The port had some concerns about the appropriateness of using that licensing agreement for this so they were willing to step in quickly and use it initially, but right from the beginning they communicated with the truckers and with the city that it was a temporary measure on their part."
Dobrovolny noted even the turn restrictions could be a temporary measure once 2014 arrives and the port completes major road construction projects on its land.
"Once they complete those projects, they've indicated the Clark Drive gate would re-open and at that time the trucks would just stay on Clark Drive and drive straight onto port property. That's the best solution. It reduces the amount of travel time on city streets," he said.
Eileen Mosca, a spokesperson from the group Advocating for Container Trucks Off Residential Streets (ACTORS), is pleased with the latest developments. "The goal of all of us is to have that Clark gate open, then there's no problem," she said, adding, "We're particularly happy with what the city's doing because the pilot project was just a temporary Band-Aid and the city has figured out a way to permanently solve this problem for the neighbourhood. It's very good news for us. We feel this has been a very good experience working with the city. We kept at it and it's very rare that it works so well."
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