THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF PGRT COQUITLAM C 0 UJ N ¢ [

MEMORANDUM
NQV 1 1982

TO: 8. Kirk, October 28, 1982
City Administrator

FROM: F.E. Peters., P. Eng.,
City Engineer

SUBJECT: Truck Restrictions on Kingsway Bridge

RECOMMENDATION:

That Council prohibit the use of the Kingsway Bridge
by vehicles having a gross vehicle weight of more than 4,600
kg. until such time as a replacement bridge has been opened on
Pitt River Road.

BACKGROUND AND COMMENTS:

Since the loss of the Red Bridge, the Kingsway Bridge
has been very heavily used. A large number of passenger
vehicles have been added to the usual number of trucks and
vehicles which normally would use this bridge anyway. Because
of the narrow bridge deck, the bridge is not capable of
sustaining two-way traffic while trucks are on the bridge. The
consequent stopping and waiting for large trucks is resulting
in.numerous delays to all users. There are times when
emergency vehicles would have great difficulty in reaching the
west side of the Coquitlam River. If it were not for the
trucks on this route, the bridge would be capable of handling
continuous. two-way traffic which would speed up access to both

sides of the river.

There are three ways in which Council could restrict
the use of the bridge to trucks.

(a) By removing the truck route.
(b) By imposing weight restrictions.

(c) By imposing width restrictions.

The first method is convenient to post with signs but
has some enforcement problems. Truck routes do not apply to
those trucks proceeding to or from a destination off a truck
route ‘by the nearest possible route. Therefore, in order to
enforce, it would be necessary to prove the origin or
destination of the vehicle crossing the bridge. A better
restriction from the enforcement point of view would be to
impose weight or width limits which would allow an Officer to
lay a charge immediately on catching a truck on the bridge.

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