Town continues to crack down on truck parking

Semi-truck drivers could soon have one fewer place to park legally in Olds after council directed administration to prepare a request for decision (RFD) that would ban parking along a section of 54 Street.
According to a unanimous motion passed by town council on July 14, administration will bring forth the RFD at the next council meeting to erect no-parking signs along 54 Street in front of the Olds Auction Mart, from 47 Avenue to Highway 2A.
During the discussion on July 14, Mayor Judy Dahl said a provision to accommodate auction days at the auction mart would be "incorporated" into the decision.
The next council meeting will be Aug. 25.
In May, the Town voted to erect no-parking signs to deter truck drivers from parking on service roads parallel to Highway 27 in the west end of Olds.
Since then, trucks have still been seen parking on those roads in addition to other locations, such as 54 Street.
"Driving down that road, it sort of hinders anybody turning south because there's a big semi truck parked there and you can't get over close enough to the curb so that you can turn south. So hence then you only have one lane whether you're going south or north," Coun. Mary Anne Overwater said during the meeting.
"So I believe and I would support no parking there from the Auction Mart entrance to (Highway) 2A entrance."
Currently, the area is a legal parking zone, according to Doug Wagstaff, the town's director of community services, who consulted with Joe Reid – Olds' community peace officer.
Coun. Wade Bearchell urged action on the issue before classes resume for the school year.
"While it's summer time now, it's not a big deal but we all know what that intersection is like. It'll be a real, real trouble spot come school, which won't be that far away," Bearchell said. "I can't see how we can allow commercial vehicle parking that close to that intersection at Highway 2A and have the congestion that we already have there."
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