Loggers Lane would continue to be used as a heavy truck route, but district also plans to develop it as an active transportation corridor in the future, says a district official.
“The district’s long-term plan for Loggers Lane is to continue to use it as a truck route for industrial related heavy traffic around the downtown, but also to develop it as an active transportation corridor, with substantially improved pedestrian and bike corridors, separated from the heavy vehicles,” said Gary Buxton, the general manager of community planning and infrastructure.
Buxton was responding to a citizen’s concerns about speeding and noise on Loggers Lane.
“Loggers Lane has been the district’s truck route around the downtown area for many years, so the nature and volume of heavy vehicles on Loggers Lane is to be expected. As the District’s truck route in the area, I’m not sure that there is much we can do to lessen the noise related to heavy vehicles,” he said.
However, the traffic volumes may have increased as the developer of the Oceanfront area is currently hauling in large amounts of bulk fill for the public park.
“It is likely however that volumes may decrease from what you are currently seeing, once work on the park has been completed,” he added.
District’s transportation plan identifies Loggers Lane, Third Avenue, Pemberton Avenue and portions of Main Street and Victoria Streets as major bicycle and pedestrian routes within Downtown Squamish.
According to one scenario in the district’s transportation plan, Loggers Lane would be the primary access to Oceanfront, once there is a new access to Highway 99 via the planned bridge on Pemberton Bridge.
The Pemberton Bridge will provide a connection across the Mamquam Blind Channel between Pemberton Avenue and the new development at the former mill site.
The district is working to seek funding for this bridge.
