from member Lynda Purpura

I am passing on this information to you to think about. Maybe it will concern you, maybe it will not. As read in The (St. Catharines) Standard (front page), there was an article about some recommendations that will be made to the City Council re the City’s Transportation Master Plan. The recommendation that I’m concerned about is ‘permitting trucks on the Welland Canals Parkway from Glendale to Eastchester Avenue.’   There may be some of you who like to cycle the road from Lock 1 to Lock 7 and not the trail. 

The Council will vote on the plan on Monday, April 12. Agenda:  https://stcatharines.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/82800?preview=85483.  Near the top of the agenda, it states to send public comments before noon on Monday, April 12.  Email to clerk@stcatharines.ca. You may also email members of council:  Dawn Dodge <ddodge@stcatharines.ca>, Phillips, Bill <bphillips@stcatharines.ca>

If you need some words, here is what I sent in below (personal opinion from Bev Wright)

Sample email titled "Feedback to proposal to change Transportation Master Plan to permit trucks on the Welland Canada Parkway from Glendale to Eastchester Avenue"

Hi XXX

I am emailing in regards to a proposal to "permit trucks on the Welland Canals Parkway from Glendale to Eastchester Avenue"

One of the benefits of the St Catharines' area has been the access to roadways with paved shoulder for cycling or in the absence of paved shoulders, safer roads having less traffic. Welland Canals Parkway is too narrow to be considered as a truck route, unless the plan also recommends widening the road surface to also include a 2 Meter wide paved shoulder on both sides of the road.  When the bridges are up, traffic often diverts down this stretch of road to "race" to the next bridge making for even more dangerous road conditions for cyclists.

It can be suggested that there is a perfectly good cycle path along the canal. That path, while an asset to the City, is not exclusively a cycle path.  It is a multi-use path, and is heavily used by pedestrians, roller and skateboard traffic, electric wheelchairs and scooters, and slower moving cyclists.  It is a busy path and is not currently a particularly safe route for road cyclists or for pedestrians and will be even less safe if more road cyclists were forced to use it because of safety concerns of riding on the Parkway.   This stretch of path passes a playground and picnic area where often there are tourists, large groups and children. 

Also, please consider that if trucks are allowed on a short section of the Parkway, we can assume that a portion of the truckers will ignore the limits on where they are legally allowed to drive their rigs, and the police being overwhelmed as it is, will not be able to effectively monitor and penalize truckers who disobey the law. 

I would appreciate feedback from about my concerns ASAP. I am certain that the cycling community in St Catharines and Niagara region would be unanimous in objecting to this consultant’s recommendation being approved by Council. 

Thanks,

xxxx

PS. Below is the relevant section as printed in the online April 1 version of The Standard:   “ The plan also looks at how goods move across the city and recommends permitting trucks on the Welland Canals Parkway from Glendale Avenue to Eastchester Avenue.

Sears said there has been some concern that there are residential areas in Merritton that back out onto that road but his group found it was a more appropriate route for trucks than some of the existing routes in the city.”