Heavy trucks rumbling through a Lavington neighbourhood are grinding the gears of residents.
Semi trailers, tankers, logging trucks, heavy equipment haulers and many gravel trucks frequent Park Lane - which has been identified as a heavy truck route to the Duteau Water Treatment Plant.
But 23 residents have signed a petition to drive the trucks out of their neighbourhood.
“The foundation of Park Lane was never built for heavy truck traffic,” said Ev Reade, who aired her concerns to Coldstream council Monday.
It’s not just Duteau traffic that is using Park Lane, according to Reade a number of mill trucks are extending their drive down her road. She is concerned additional truck traffic will do the same when Restoration Lands (the former glass plant) opens up in the summer, despite a closer route.
“The road on Hill Drive is a beautiful road for those big trucks, that’s what it was put there for,” said Reade, who wants to see Duteau traffic routed onto Hill Drive as well.
“In the late 1960s when the glass plant was being planned, Park Lane residents successfully lobbied Coldstream council to put the entrance on Hill Drive,” said Reade. “It made sense with the logging trucks going into Tolko. That road was upgraded to take the heavy traffic. There are reduced speed signs and anti noise bylaw signs on that road.”
She also suggested the sign at Park Lane and Highway 6 be taken down which directs heavy truck traffic to Duteau.
Reade also supplied Coldstream with a list of 28 trucking companies that use Park Lane.
The main concern residents have with trucks on the road is safety.
Ever since Park Lane was rebuilt about six years ago, shoulders were removed, creating little room for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders when they come across big trucks.
“We have to hit the ditch, that’s all we have,” said Reade, noting that there are more children living in the neighbourhood than ever before, including a daycare.
Coldstream is investigating road allowances and what the district can do to regulate traffic.
“We can’t stop ordinary development on private property but we can deal with issues that are an actual destination,” said Coun. Doug Dirk.
Coun. Gyula Kiss added: “Can we also investigate the ‘No heavy truck’ signs?”