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West Kelowna  

Trucks - highway or no way

The City of West Kelowna has made it clear – large trucks passing through are not welcome on city streets.

The bylaw, given first three readings by council this week, comes after two years of public consultation and tweaking.

In essence, the city is telling truckers to stay on Highway 97 and stop using arterial routes as a shortcut.

Staff said trucks leaving the highway must have business in the city or be doing work for the city.

"When leaving the highway, you must use the highest order road and the most direct route possible," staff said in a report to council.

The city's classification map shows road order as expressway (highway), followed by arterial road, major collector road, minor collector road and finally local road.

"We have to be pretty clear there is no misconception about what the true intent is," said Coun. Rusty Ensign.

"It's to keep them on the highway, stop them from going into neighbourhoods, and only take a direct route on major roads to get there, and to reduce shortcutting."

The changes come after complaints from residents concerned about the number of trucks using their neighbourhood as a shortcut through the city.

Coun. Rosalind Neis wondered if the bylaw was essentially a waste of time, calling it unenforceable. She said she would be pleased, but shocked, if a ticket were ever written.



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