Coun. Wade Bearchell is concerned that commercial trucks parking on service roads adjacent to Highway 27 are posing a safety risk and he wants to see a ban on such activities.
He raised the issue during a council meeting on Oct. 15.
Bearchell said there are often commercial trucks parked on both sides of the service road immediately east of the Cornerstone shopping centre that block traffic from getting through.
He also said many are carrying dangerous goods.
Norm McInnis, the town's chief administrative officer, said the town needs to come up with a plan regarding the parking of commercial vehicles on roadways and said truckers may have to pay for parking. He added that the town will be stepping up enforcement and that truckers will have to find their own solutions. McInnis said allowing truck parking on the service roads no longer makes sense.
“I think we do need to talk about the parking situation. At the end of the day, it is a safety issue,” he told councillors.
Recommendations regarding commercial vehicle parking along Highway 27 will be coming forward to council once town staff meet with the Olds RCMP about the issue.
The meeting was due to take place last week.
Staff Sgt. Joe Sangster, commander of the Olds RCMP detachment, told councillors during the Oct. 15 meeting that while traffic enforcement remains a priority for local police, they do not have the resources necessary to tackle the issue. He suggested that the town's community peace officers dedicate some resources. However, Sangster said traffic enforcement remains a priority for the RCMP.
“We're going to remain vigilant,” he said, adding the RCMP will be watching for the provincial government to erect signs indicating that no parking is permitted on the side of the highway. The fine for non-emergency parking on the side of a highway is $115, while the fine for not obeying a traffic sign that might be erected discouraging parking on the side of a highway is $172.
In an interview following the council meeting, Mayor Judy Dahl said drivers parking their trucks overnight along the service road immediately east of the Cornerstone shopping centre pose a safety risk to others in the community. Commercial vehicles parking adjacent to Highway 27 has been an issue for many years, she added.
“What's not working is good communication with these truck drivers so that they know that they have alternate choices. There are businesses that I have been told that do rent to semi-truck drivers for overnight parking in town, if they want in-town parking.”
“We're not here to target anybody. It's just that it's an ongoing occurrence that has been reported repeatedly as a nuisance and an unsafe factor for businesses and drivers,” Dahl said, adding she would like town administrators to also speak to truckers about the issue and get some feedback from them.
One person at the mayoral candidates forum on Oct. 7 asked a question about the parking of commercial vehicles in town.
The matter was discussed at the Oct. 15 council meeting during a general discussion councillors had with Staff Sgt. Sangster about police-related issues.
