Last September, the City of Hamilton passed a bylaw prohibiting trucks from accessing McMaster through the Sterling Street entrance. A short term exemption to the bylaw allowing limited truck travel at the Sterling entrance ends January 31 which means all trucks will have to move through the centre of campus.

“The University priority is to safeguard the health and safety of everyone on campus,” said Roger Trull, vice-president of University Advancement. “The approved Campus Plan designates the centre of campus as a pedestrian priority area and being forced to have all truck traffic use the centre campus which already accommodates more than 400 HSR bus trips a day puts all pedestrians at risk and doesn't live up to the intent of the Campus Plan.”

As a preliminary step, the University has asked the city to reroute 25 buses a day so that they do not run through campus, without reducing service levels. The bus reduction will help balance the increased truck traffic that will occur after January 31. If the city requires more time to make the bus route changes, McMaster has suggested that the January 31st date be extended. McMaster is waiting to hear which direction the city will take.

For many months, University leaders have been working with the city hoping to reach an agreement that addresses these concerns, while avoiding a safety hazard for students, faculty, staff and visitors. While the University is hopeful these discussions will result in positive change, planning continues for the January 31 bylaw implementation.

“The well-being of our students, staff and faculty is of the utmost concern to the McMaster Students Union. Any increase in campus traffic heightens risks to the members of our community. Our campus needs to be, and should remain, a pedestrian priority one,” says Ryan Moran, president of the McMaster Students Union.

Trull says the University is one of the HSR's biggest customers and ideally we would like to see even more people using the bus to get to campus.

“We're confident that by working together with the HSR, we will find a way to improve service and meet our ultimate goal of having HSR buses use a terminal or other facility on or near campus that will keep all buses out of the pedestrian core.”