The frontage road next to Salmon Arm’s McDonald’s may see more commercial truck traffic as drivers pull over to pick up food.
On Thursday, March 26, longtime trucker Greg Rockwell contacted the Observer with concerns about commercial truck drivers potentially parking along Highway 1 for food ordered in advance through the restaurant’s app. Rockwell said the restaurant could have orders ready for drivers to pick up at the door – a convenience as they are unable to use the drive-thru.
“I’ve ran that corridor for six years; it’s brutal on a good day trying to find somewhere where you can pull over and eat,” explained Rockwell. “So we’ve got to use the locations that are accessible or that we can make accessible during this crisis that’s going on.”
Instead of parking along Highway 1, which he does not support, Rockwell suggested truckers use 11th Ave. NE to park on for quick stops to access their food, while being sure not to block off residential driveways.
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Over the past week, Salmon Arm Mayor Alan Harrison said he’d been contacted by several truck drivers with similar concerns.
“It’s not just about Salmon Arm,” said Harrison. “Everywhere on their trucking routes now the restaurants are closed, washrooms are closed, and it’s very difficult to find places that they can go into and that are easily accessible.”
In response, Harrison said he checked out 11th and agreed it would be good temporary parking solution.
“I think it actually would be a very good solution because it’s easy for the trucks to get off there… and they’re there just for a short period of time to pick up food and that kind of thing, I can’t see it causing a problem. Especially if it’s not lots and lots of trucks.
“No overnight parking of course, because that would be a challenge, but I don’t see any problem with them pulling off there and going to get their food.”
