ST. JOHN’S, (July 12, 2005) — City and police officials in St. John’s want to keep hazmat trucks out of the downtown core now that a proposal to ban heavy trucks along Duckworth St. has stalled.

Committee chairman Coun. Paul Sears believes trucks carrying dangerous goods should be prohibited from accessing the city’s northeast section via the downtown, The St. John’s Telegram reports. The newspaper goes on to quote Sears suggesting trucks instead be directed to Pitts Memorial Drive and onto the Trans-Canada Highway.

But truckers in the area are opposed, saying that route would add about 30 minutes per trip.

There was discussion last year about the possibility of all tractor-trailers leaving the downtown destined for the east end to use the Columbus Drive arterial.

Truckers and the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association criticized the plan because of the steep grade on the Kilbride access ramp, and the heavy traffic using Columbus Drive.

While Sears agrees that an outright ban on truck traffic may not be practical, he insists there should be restricted movement of hazardous goods.

The city is in the process of compiling an issue paper on the matter, and that will be followed with a meeting between city officials and representatives of the trucking industry.

— from The St. John’s Telegram