‘It’s very dangerous:’ Cambridge man pleas for extension to Galt truck ban
Posted May 7, 2025 07:16:33 AM.
Last Updated May 7, 2025 10:30:29 AM.
A downtown truck ban in Galt has increased safety, noise, and pollution concerns across areas of the city where those trucks are detouring through.
It all stems from the ban, which was first approved by Region of Waterloo council in August 2023, officially going into effect a few months later in October.
New studies have shown that it’s led to a drop from around 1,600 trucks driving through the stretch each day, down to around 600, an over 60 per cent decrease since it was put in place.
Even though it’s quelled a lot of the traffic that was previously causing congestion throughout the downtown core, some are now saying that it’s moved those concerns to other areas of the city.
“There are more than 500 trucks per day driving along there. There are bike lanes, school buses, children, pets, seniors, pedestrians, and it’s inappropriate for large trucks,” said Jamie Miller, a resident of Cambridge who lives on a portion of Ainslie Street that is excluded from the ban.
“A solution is needed soon before an accident happens. It’s very dangerous there with the trucks coming by at quite a speed, they’re not able to stop.”
He said overall safety, along with noise and pollution concerns, are making the living conditions worse for the neighbourhoods being affected.
He mentioned the community on the stretch of Ainslie isn’t the only one, but hopes an overall extension could help dissolve the problem.
As of now, the current ban for heavy trucking includes:
- 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
“I wouldn’t want to live there, I don’t think anybody should have to live next to this,” said Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett. “I remember when we were doing the truck diversion through the downtown and voted on it, I forewarned about this.”
She said it’s all a list of problems that local neighbourhoods didn’t sign up for, with many being thrust into the problem due to a lack of prior action.
“These people, the sounds, the pollution, everything they have to live through shouldn’t happen to anybody in this region.”
Council discussed various potential solutions, with Councillor Doug Spooner going into specifics on three different schools of thought to address the list of concerns.
His first was focused on addressing the overall driving behaviour through the stretches, turning to increased signage to work to decrease speeds and truck usage in those areas. His second was centred around enforcement.
“We have worked with WRPS for a few blitzes in this corridor and have been effective in doing so,” said Spooner. “The third on that spectrum would be design, so if there were design changes we could make to the road, that would be the most effective.”
Full comment from Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett on neighbourhood concerns from downtown Galt truck ban.
He said an overhaul of the area, including possible lane reductions, could work to reduce the number of trucks even wanting to detour through the area.
While no decision was made on an exact plan, council said it would reconvene at a later date to discuss further recommendations and next steps.
“What needs to happen is a solution, even though we might not be able to find one at this point, it still needs to be researched,” said Miller. “The residents of Cambridge, particularly our area, need to be put first over the inconvenience of trucking companies.”
