Hamilton truck detour controversy goes to city committee

Throughout this week, some north-end Hamilton residents have been industrial trucks taking detours on residential streets. 

The trucks were evidently following signs put up by a third-party contractor while part of Wellington Street North was shut down due to repair on the CN Rail tracks. The detour had been approved by Hamilton Public Works. Residents have reported seeing were large trucks manoeuvre through narrow streets, creating a safety hazard. One report even said that a truck downed power lines. 

Ward 2 City Councillor Jason Farr, who has said the detours “never should have happened,” has introduced a motion for the city’s next public works committee on June 14. It calls for “no trucks (to) ever have an option to illegally cut through a residential neighbourhood during a construction detour period; as is the rule at any other time.”

Farr’s motion calls for city staff to investigate how the detour plan “failed” the residents of area, and report back to the committee. Its next meeting after Monday’s is on July 7.   

The rail repairs have led to Wellington Street North being closed between Burlington and Barton streets. The work is scheduled to be completed on Friday.

Farr also has a second motion on the agenda to install street trees on a section of James Street North.

Ward 6 Coun. Tom Jackson is motioning to add speed cushions on Mount Pleasant Drive as part of the fall application of the city’s traffic calming program.

Ward 7 councillor Esther Pauls is also motioning to purchase five digital speed signs that would be placed in Pauls’s ward, at her discretion.

Monday’s meeting, scheduled for 1:30 p.m., can be viewed on the city’s YouTube page.

(Photo via Twitter/@whytock79.)