GORE BAY—Along with a reduction in speed limits in town, Gore Bay council passed a bylaw to keep heavy trucks off the main downtown business section. Under the bylaw, heavy trucks and vehicles will not be allowed to drive or park through the downtown business section (Meredith Street) and will have to use a designated truck route.
“We are just trying to keep the downtown area safe,” said Michael Lalonde, Gore Bay treasurer and acting town manager. “We all know how busy it gets on Meredith Street with people and vehicles moving along the street. We are trying to keep heavy, large trucks and other heavy vehicles from driving down the main downtown street of town, Meredith Street, to keep traffic flowing and for safety.”
The bylaw states, “The definition of a heavy truck means any commercial vehicle having a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating greater than 4,600 kilograms, including a truck and trailer combination, but does not include emergency service vehicles such as ambulances or fire trucks.”
Under the prohibition of heavy trucks the bylaw reads, “where no heavy truck signage has been erected and are on display, no person shall drive, move, operate or park heavy trucks upon or over any part of the highways as specified as follows: Agnes Street from its intersection with Bay Street to Meredith Street or the Meredith Street intersection with Borron Street.”
The following are exempted from the prohibition, “a) Any vehicles operated by the town of Gore Bay and their agents and/or contractors, together with any emergency service vehicles, public utility vehicles and/or waste management vehicles; b) any heavy truck actually engaged in making a delivery to or a collection from premises which cannot be reached except by way of the highways or part of the highways as set out in section two, provided that in making such delivery or collection, the highways or part of the highways is travelled only in so far as is unavoidable in getting to and from such premises; c) any heavy truck actually engaged in leaving from or returning to the heavy truck owner’s and/or operator’s principle residence provided that in so leaving or returning to their principle residence, the highways or part of the highways is travelled insofar as is unavoidable in getting to and from such premises, and provided that the parking of the heavy truck is permitted at the residence under the town’s zoning bylaw.” There are set fines of $300 driving or parking a heavy truck on a prohibited route.
As was reported previously town council also opted to reduce the community’s speed limit to 40 kilometres per hour throughout the entire town, unless otherwise posted.
