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Hammond trucking company 'getting out of Dodge'

Safety concerns in Maple Ridge neighbourhood caused council to close Wharf Street to truck traffic
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A flipped semi highlighted safety concerns with big trucks going through Hammond.

Truck traffic through Hammond will soon stop, as the operator that has caused concern in one of Maple Ridge's oldest neighbourhood is taking its business elsewhere.

"Chohan Trucking is getting out of Dodge," is how Hammond's Dan Mason termed it. "I'm thrilled."

City bylaws director Robin McNair confirmed the company, which had been operating without a business licence, said through its lawyer Chohan would not appeal council's decision to not allow the licence.

Mason and other Hammond residents complained to City Hall and to the press about truck traffic rumbling through the neighbourhood in January, after Chohan set up operations at 19966 Wharf St., underneath the Golden Ears Bridge.

Mason complained the streets are too narrow and the intersections too tight to allow semi trucks and trailers to navigate safely. He said the trucks took corners wide and hogged the road, and the loads caused his house to shake. Mason predicted there would be an accident.

That happened on March 3, when a truck loaded with pipe flipped onto its side in the ditch at the corner of Wharf and Princess.

"Luckily for everybody, nobody was hurt," said Mason.

The city responded by blocking Wharf Street to truck traffic, and council determined that the company which had been operating without a business licence would not be given one.

Sunny Chohan of the trucking company offered no comment.

In an earlier interview, he agreed the streets in the area are narrow, and there are no sidewalks, but called the accident preventable.

There had been at least two other incidents where trucks went off the road, but they were still on their wheels, and quickly pulled back onto the road.

McNair said Chohan needs to move equipment out of its Wharf Street location, and is being allowed to do so from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday, in order to minimize the impact on the neighbourhood. He was given 60 days to move.

"It's a good news story," said McNair. "The neighbourhood has some relief. They have to be patient, and they'll get their quiet neighbourhood back."

 



Neil Corbett

About the Author: Neil Corbett

I have been a journalist for more than 30 years, the past decade with the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News.
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