Steelton gives truck route the gears

Maurice Kukoraitis, the City's director of engineering design and buildings, thought it would be a nice little chinwag at the Marconi Club, answering questions about the proposed truck route.

He had no idea what was about to hit the fan.

He and other city officials found themselves facing more than 90 people.

Most were from the Steelton neighbourhood around the Marconi.

Most were hot as hornets over the plan to divert truck traffic through their residential neighbourhood.

Route clips Marconi Club parking lot

City officials were peppered with questions about noise and vibration levels, pollution, safety of children, effect on property values, loss of parkland, and the need to acquire property at one end of the Marconi Club parking lot.

Attempting to calm the crowd, Mayor John Rowswell said that "what you see on this piece of paper is very preliminary" but he promised that neighbourhood concerns will be addressed in the final design.

'We have trucks killing the streets' - Rowswell

Said Rowswell: "From a community point of view, I think we need this direct link. From an economic point of view, I don't think we can afford not to do it. From a jobs point of view, I hope it happens."

"We have trucks killing the streets all over town," the mayor said. "We need to minimize the pounding on the streets."

Letter-writing campaign

Steelton residents are organizing a letter-writing campaign urging Ontario's environment minister to require a more extensive environmental review. Letters must be received by May 27.

Unless the province intervenes, the City may proceed immediately with detailed design and construction.

Design work on the truck route is expected to be completed in 2002, and construction to be finished prior to 2007, when the new Highway 17 is expected to be done.

'You better call the doctor'

But residents at the Marconi meeting vowed to bring down the $14-million project.

Said Elvezio Ferranti, vice president of the Marconi Society: "I heard that this is somebody's baby. Well, you better call the doctor, because that baby ain't gonna come out." To see where the proposed route will go, click here.

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