We would like to strongly oppose the Third Avenue option for Squamish’s downtown trucking route. This proposed corridor would have severe impacts to our many seniors living near Third and Pemberton avenues.
Safety is our number one area of concern. Many of our tenants have difficulty crossing over the intersection at Pemberton and Third Avenue based on the existing traffic levels. Increased truck volume will only make this crossing more dangerous. Many of our tenants are visually impaired, hearing impaired or have limited mobility. A large majority use walkers, scooters or other types of aids.
Seniors are not the only pedestrians using this access route to downtown. Many school children walk up Pemberton across Third Avenue to and from school. (Buses drop them off downtown.) We really need to emphasize that the Corner of Third and Pemberton is a major pedestrian route connecting the high-density areas of Eaglewind, Eaglegrove, Shannon Falls Retirement Residence, the Manor and Cedars. There are several new residential developments currently being built in this area that will only increase the pedestrian traffic that will be crossing Third Avenue. The density of Squamish could double in coming years.
Several of the tenants living in the Cedars units (which directly face Third and Pemberton avenues) have some existing complaints about noise and air pollution based on the current traffic flows. If Third Avenue is used as a trucking route, this would mean the stopping and starting of diesel engines at the four-way stop at Pemberton and Third. This will only increase the amount of noise and air pollution (dust and other particulate matter), further affecting the tenants living in close proximity to the road.
We urge District of Squamish council to take Third Avenue off the list of options. The Best Practices Guide for municipal officials published by the Ontario Trucking Association in 2011 describes the reasons for establishing truck routes. The number one reason given was to help trucks avoid inappropriate residential streets.
The current pedestrian traffic and residential density makes Third Avenue inappropriate for truck traffic.
Laura Modray
for the Board of Directors
Squamish Senior Citizens Home Society
