West Kelowna council puts proposed truck routes on hold

West Kelowna council has hit the emergency brake as it attempts to designate where trucks can and cannot go through the city.

It’s trying to map out designated truck routes, but some of the proposed routes are being met with stiff opposition, including from a city councillor.

A staff report is recommending that certain roads be designated as truck routes between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m.

They are:

1. Glenrosa Road between HWY 97 and City of West Kelowna border
2. Gellatly Road south between HWY 97 and Gellatly Road
3. Gellatly Road between HWY 97 and Boucherie Road
4. Boucherie Road between Hudson Road and WFN lR#9 border
5. Hudson Road between Boucherie Road and HWY 97
6. Shannon Lake Road between Bartley Road and WFN lR#9 border
7. Old Okanagan Road between HWY 97 and WFN lR#g border

City councillor Bryden Winsby is vehemently opposed to making Boucherie Road a truck route. He lives on Boucherie and said the idea is not going to fly.

“Until the road is improved I don’t see an alternative. What we have to do is discourage trucks that aren’t doing business in this area. I think that’s what staff is trying to achieve, but how do we enforce it,” he said.

Bob Munro is president of the Canyon Ridge strata on Gellatly Road south. He says the road is not suited for trucks.

“I don’t know if this guy who did the report actually drove the road. The hill coming up is an eight per cent grade — I don’t think the trucks would even want to come up there. They might drive it once and realize it doesn’t make any sense. I really encourage them to head back to the drawing board. It makes no sense,” Munro said.

Edward Smith is a trucker. He understands where the residents are coming from.

“Well if you live there, you probably have a nice home and you would probably be concerned about it. But as far as making a truck route so they can all go there — no. I disagree with that because if you have a nice house you don’t want a bunch of trucks going by your house,” he said.

Opposition to the proposed trucks routes has been so strong that council has put the proposal in park — and wants to consult the public before moving ahead.