As Published in the Portage Daily Graphic June 9th 2008

The city of Portage la Prairie is driving forward with plans to designate two city roadways as truck routes.

At the June 9 city council meeting, councillors voted to approve an amendment to the traffic bylaw that will see sections of Crescent Road East and Tupper Street South turned into truck routes in order to give heavy traffic access to the temporary causeway currently under construction west of the bridge.

Council was poised to approve the amendment at it’s May 26 meeting, but decided to defer the decision after meeting stiff opposition from local residents.

The city’s transportation committee met with city engineers and the RCMP last week to look into any compromises that could be made.

“In our committee meeting we were very cognizant of the opinions expressed at the council meeting two weeks ago, albeit that the project had to go ahead” explained transportation committee chairman Coun. Orville Wagner after the meeting. “I don’t presume to suggest that everybody is going to be satisfied, as a matter of fact I’m sure they’re not, but it’s one inconvenience that that section is going to have to put up with.”

The changes will mean the north side of Crescent Road from Tupper to Royal Road and the west side of Tupper Street South from Dufferin Avenue to Crescent Road will be designated as 24-hour no-parking zones, once the temporary causeway is completed around June 27.

Look for the full story and more news from city council in The Daily Graphic newspaper.