Region approves truck bypass for downtown Galt

Not only has the Region of Waterloo council voted yes to a truck bypass for downtown Galt, the residents who live near McQueen Shaver Boulevard are finally getting their noise wall.

At a Wednesday night meeting, Council approved four streets for a bypass, diverting trucks on McQueen Shaver.

The expected increase in noise on that roadway now means it is justified to put up a sound wall barrier along 1.5 kilometres of the road bordering houses.

The new bypass, coming into effect in October, means no heavy trucks will be allowed on:

Water Street from Ainslie Street South to Coronation Boulevard/Dundas Street

Ainslie Street South from Concession Street to Water Street

Myers Road from Water Street to Franklin Boulevard

Concession Street from Ainslie Street South to Dundas Street

In a staff presentation, councillors were told this will mean reducing truck traffic in the downtown Cambridge neighbourhood from 1,600 trucks to 600, and most of those will only be making deliveries.

Council also heard about how this bypass has been sought for 50 years.

Staff anticipate some difficulty with enforcement, as truck drivers learn where they can and can not go; and some pushback from the trucking industry is expected.

Staff will provide an update in the late spring of 2024 on how the bypass is working out.

Regional Council approves a truck bypass for certain streets in downtown Galt, Cambridge. Diverting trucks onto McQueen Shaver will make that road loud enough to justify a full sound wall, to — ironically — make life quieter for nearby residents. Details now on @CityNewsKIT pic.twitter.com/inr7SX0ezn

— Mark Douglas (@DouglasCityNews) August 31, 2023