City clerk Matt MacDonald, councillor Jack Miller, Mayor Taso Christopher and councillor Garnet Thompson all approved a bylaw to keep heavy trucks from driving on Cannifton Road. By Samantha Reed
BELLEVILLE – Heavy truck drivers may soon have to find an alternative route to taking Cannifton Road.
During Monday night’s municipal council meeting, a bylaw was addressed restricting large vehicles from using a portion of Cannifton Road, a main artery of Belleville. The area that would be restricted is the northern part of the road, between Aqua Bay and Highway 401.
City councillor Jackie Denyes who addressed the bylaw, says that the section of the road was not made for such large vehicles.
“Cannifton Road is deteriorating because of the heavy trucks and it’s hard to keep the maintenance up,” she said.
It is not a wide enough road and trucks are constantly driving through disturbing residents said Denyes. The bylaw will only apply to trucks using the road as a way to cut across from highway 32 to the 401 or farther south of the city.
Moving trucks and trucks that need to deliver to businesses on the street will not be restricted, said city clerk Matt MacDonald.
If the bylaw does pass the city is planning on using signs and public complaints to enforce it.
Councillor Mitch Panciuk suggested signs used on another street in the city may work well on Cannifton. Signs were put up on some of the narrower two-lane parts of College Street advising heavy truck drivers to use another street. The signs were put up after residents in the area complained about the number of heavy trucks driving through.
Mayor Taso Christopher said if the bylaw does pass he wants heavy truck drivers to be aware.
“Make sure the (Ministry of Transportation of Ontario) office in either Belleville or Kingston get a copy of the bylaw, so they know that times are changing and we’re trying to look out for our roads and the homeowners.”
Denyes explained the bylaw has only been read once, and is being brought forward to the traffic advisory committee. It has to be read two more times in front of council before it can be passed.
“Anybody who has any concerns can contact members of council or staff and state their concern. That gives us an opportunity to hear their concerns.”
The next municipal council meeting is not for six weeks and will give everybody enough time to comment, said Denyes. Council will not meet until March 23 due to the annual budget meeting and conflicting schedules.
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