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Hazardous truck route stalled

A Vernon official is accusing bureaucracy of sending a planned hazardous truck route in circles.
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A Vernon official is accusing bureaucracy of sending a planned hazardous truck route in circles.

Coun. Bob Spiers isn’t satisfied with administration’s suggestion that work on a dangerous goods route would not begin until late 2018.

“It’s been on my bucket list since 2012 and I’d like it finished off,” said Coun. Bob Spiers, who is concerned about the risk hazardous goods may pose on civic roads and believes such vehicles should be restricted to Highway 97 and not 27th Street.

City staff have stated that development of a dangerous goods route cannot occur before late 2018 because of the need for Ministry of Transportation approval and consultation with the trucking sector.

City staff have also stated they currently don’t have the capacity to develop a new bylaw right now, but Spiers says such a process shouldn’t be onerous.

“Salmon Arm’s bylaw is a two-pager with a list of maps. I don’t see why we can’t put it in front of the ministry and get it done in quick order,” he said.