Coquitlam's two declared mayoral candidates tussled over a temporary truck route along Mariner Way at Monday's council meeting.
Coun. Lou Sekora, who is challenging Mayor Richard Stewart for the city's top job, criticized his opponent for distributing "misleading" literature on the Mariner truck route that indicated the temporary change would be made permanent later this month.
In late July council voted 6-3 in favour of establishing the temporary route along Mariner Way, between Barnet Highway and Como Lake Avenue, and on Como Lake between Mariner and Clarke Road, after lobbying by Allard Contractors Ltd.
At the time, city staff recommended against passing the change and Stewart and councillors Brent Asmundson and Terry O'Neill voted against it.
Area residents were not consulted about the proposed change.
Stewart said council candidate Teri Towner and another resident recently invited him to canvas Mariner Way homes to see how people felt about the truck route, which had been in effect for just over a month, and that a flyer passed out stated the change was on a trial basis, pending a review by council slated for the end of the month.
Stewart said, "I've always said that stretch of Mariner is the most dangerous arterial we have" because of the steep grades, sharp corners and proximity to schools, crosswalks and homes. "It wasn't designed as a truck route - there are no margins for error."
Coun. Chris Wilson, who suggested the temporary change in July, said the issue has now been politicized and any feedback the city gets will be "totally tainted."
He noted the existing truck route has trucks travelling down Lougheed Highway to United Boulevard and the south side of Mariner - "where there are schools, hidden driveways, where there is a steep grade and a sharp turn.
