Raise the Hammer

Thank you Ryan for the article. I just wish I had a heads up about it so that I could comment on some of the perception of my intentions. I will try to address or clarify as best as I can.

To 'adrian': Yes, I do Consulting work. But no, I have no direct or indirect connection with the transportation industry on this matter. My role is the current Chair of the Transportation Committee, and the submission is in part from our Committee, and that of the Chamber Board. As I have been involved in the process from almost Day 1, it seemed only natural that I represent the group accordingly. My time on this as been 100% volunteer.

To 'arcadia': My new website is www.dansdiatribe.com I haven't posted to the blogspot site for quite some time now.

To 'frank': You asked: "Why aren't you championing the building of a large warehouse style truck hub up by the airport or down on the harbour that can be used as a distribution hub for smaller trucks into the city? That's a business opportunity isn't it??" We have been championing for such transloading facilities. The hiccup here is that Hamilton's definition of a 'truck' includes the smaller trucks you are referring to, thereby making this suggestion an impossibility under the current practice.

Ryan addresses a key question that seems to get overlooked in this whole discussion: "It makes me wonder how other cities - dense, busy, economically successful cities all around the world - manage to get by without allowing their downtown streets to be used as through truck routes. Why is Hamilton so different from those places that we can't afford the luxury of safe, livable streets?"

The answer is simply that Hamilton differs because it doesn't apply the same bylaws as those successful cities. Instead, old & dated practices are injected into a new and modern era of goods movement.

Why can the City not set a policy differentiating truck sizes? Hamilton's definition of a truck is a commercial vehicle over 4,500kg gross vehicle weight (GVW). That puts every delivery vehicle about the size of a cube van into the same class as an 18-wheeler. Some cities resolve this by increasing the GVW in their definition of a truck.

Why do we not classify our road network to identify 'through' truck routes versus 'destination' or 'local' truck routes? With Hamilton's simplistic approach to truck movement, a truck delivering to a store on King St. is look on as negatively as the truck who's just using it as a shortcut.

Why is our 'part-time' route from 7am to 7pm? Recognizing the growth in the distribution logistic industry, encouraging overnight deliveries would certainly benefit the streetscape during the higher pedestrian, cycle, vehicle use without trucks impeding the view.

The other issue at hand, is that with the proposed closures, assumptions are being made as to where or how these trucks will reach their destination. Oddly enough, no one seems to know who, where or why these trucks are there in the first place. There have been no discussions with the freight carriers, even though the Consultants said they would do an "Origin-Destination Survey", none was completed.

The Chamber is simply asking for more time to allow a recognized entity (MITL) to engage in a 'cause and effect' study, in order to establish a better truck route policy, other than the current "No Trucks Allowed" simplistic approach. MITL has the tools and the resources of the industry to properly gage changes, and can ascertain what recommendations are better suited for the overall viability of protecting neighbourhoods while engaging the goods movement industry in and around Hamilton.