When Broadway was being repaired last year, Townline became one of the favoured alternate routes, causing through traffic to increase on the road and leaving residents frustrated and afraid to walk on its sidewalks.

Now, citing their safety concerns, residents living on the street are demanding a truck ban similar to the one in place on Broadway. But they may have to settle with higher fines for speeding and possibly lower speed limits.

Christine McCoy, who has lived on Townline her entire life, told Orangeville council she can't remember as a child walking to school being covered in salt or hit by rocks, something she said some children now face because of the speed large trucks drive down the road.

She added that windows in her house have broken because of vibrations caused by trucks driving past. She also suggested that any large truck driving on Townline to a local destination wouldn't be able to reach speeds of 70 km/h or more.

Anne Heyding told council she has been hit with a rock while gardening in her front lawn and thinks there should be no heavy truck traffic on Townline. She and others in a delegation to council also suggested traffic counts by Town staff are not correct.

Bob Priester, who said he has lived on Townline for 40 years, noted trucks still need to be able to get in and out of town. He wasn't annoyed at the volume of truck traffic but rather at the speed vehicles travel on the road, which currently is posted at 50 km/h but 40 km/h near Princess Margaret Public School.

The report from Gary Kocialek, the town's managing director of operations and transportation, Gary Kocialek has traffic counts from three dates..

The first was on September 5, 2002, with 7,200 cars counted, 317 light truck/service vehicles and 251 tractor trailers.

By December 7, 2005, with the new south bypass and the Broadway ban, there were 5,458 cars, 445 light trucks/service vehicles and only 107 tractor trailers.

Last January 10, there were 6,792 cars, 170 light trucks/service vehicles and just 32 tractor trailers.

The counts were all done in the same time frame - 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. - and were typically done midweek (Tuesday to Thursday).

Mayor Drew Brown suggested that if the numbers are in doubt, more traffic counts should be done during a time frame supported by residents in the area.

The Kocialek report noted there were "no specific warrants for prohibiting heavy trucks" and that this was because the volume of truck traffic has decreased with the opening of the South Arterial Road.

"Presumably truck drivers are recognizing that it is far more efficient for them to use the South Arterial Road for through movements than local streets."

Councillor Ken Manwell, who has lived on Townline for 22 years, said the biggest issue is speed and the residents at the meeting agreed.

Mr. Kocialek's report recommends that a community safety zone be established on Townline between Orange and Bythia streets and on Broadway between John Street and Fourth Street.

In a community safety zone, penalties are doubled for careless driving, speeding and other infractions. and the speed limit is often reduced to 40 km/h in urban areas.

Mr. Kocialek said this would be the most effective tool to increase safety on Townline.

Councillor Doug Wilcox suggested signs warning of the approach to a community safety zone should have flashing lights.

Mr. Kocialek said staff can look into the cost and nearest power source for the flashing lights.

Len Hopkins asked whether the community zone would be in effect only when the lights were flashing or would be in effect all day.

Mr. Kocialek said if there were no lights on the sign, it would be in effect all day but if there were lights there would be a specific time frame.