Reopen Clark Drive Entrance to Incoming Port Traffic — Safer Streets for All
Reopen Clark Drive Entrance to Incoming Port Traffic — Safer Streets for All
The Issue
Port of Vancouver container trucks, heading up to the port from Richmond (via Knight/Clark) were "temporarily" rerouted off the Clark Drive entrance ramp in 2012, and onto Powell, Dundas, Nanaimo and McGill. Over a decade later, our residential streets are still flooded with diesel container trucks. It's time to put people before port traffic, and reopen the Clark Drive entrance to inbound trucks.
For over a decade, Hastings-Sunrise residents have lived with a “temporary” truck detour that was never made right. It’s time to fix it.
In 2012, during construction on the Port of Vancouver’s South Shore project, the City and Port temporarily closed the Clark Drive ramp for incoming container trucks, citing congestion concerns. At the time, officials promised the closure was short-term—once the project was done, trucks would be routed back through the purpose-built Clark Drive entrance.
In 2012, Jerry Dobrovolny, then Director of Transportation for the City of Vancouver stated:
"Once they complete [the South Shore expansion], [the Port] indicated the Clark Drive gate would re-open and at that time the trucks would just stay on Clark Drive and drive straight onto port property. That's the best solution. It reduces the amount of travel time on city streets."
That didn't happen.
Instead, thousands of industrial container trucks are now funneled through Powell, Dundas, Nanaimo and McGill Streets—dense residential corridors lined with homes, condos, schools, parks, and bike routes. Trucks barrel through at all hours, including late at night and early in the morning, shattering noise limits, degrading air quality with diesel exhaust, and making daily life unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists.
There is no school zone at Tillicum Elementary, which sits just meters from the intersection of Dundas and Nanaimo, where container trucks make difficult turns. This is a disaster waiting to happen, with our children as collateral.
Meanwhile, the Clark Drive entrance remains closed to incoming port traffic; this was intended to be a purpose-built solution to get industrial traffic off our city streets and onto Stewart and Commissioner Streets, both port-exclusive roads. The Clark Drive ramp is also currently being used as an exit ramp for trucks, demonstrating its safety and usability for drivers.
Port officials now say the closure is permanent, citing congestion and geometry—without any public consultation and without exploring limited-hour solutions like overnight-only truck access, or off-peak hour usage. No alternative has been meaningfully considered.
We recognize that truck drivers are moving the goods that keep our city and country running. These are difficult jobs, and drivers deserve safe, efficient, and purpose-built routes—not unpredictable detours through residential streets, school zones, and pedestrian crossings.
Reopening Clark Drive isn't just a win for residents — it's a win for drivers, too. The Clark entrance was designed for port access. It’s direct. It’s safer. And it keeps everyone — families, commuters, and truckers — out of unnecessary conflict zones.
It is a key priority of the city to reopen this entrance. Or was. Reopening the Clark Dr. entrance to incoming port traffic features prominently in the City of Vancouver's Transportation 2040 plan, and was slated to be tackled by 2017. And still, the Port says the closure is permanent, despite being pitched alternative ideas such as an off-peak reopening (7 pm to 7 am) or a timed, intermittent reopening.
Let’s be clear: this would never be allowed on W 4th, on the Drive or on Main St — also all major truck routes. So why is it acceptable in Hastings-Sunrise?
Our community is being treated like an industrial corridor, and we’ve had enough. It’s time for the Port and the City of Vancouver to:
- Reopen the Clark Drive port entrance to container trucks
- Redirect industrial traffic off Powell, Dundas and Nanaimo
- Protect residents—especially children and seniors—from diesel pollution, constant noise, and road danger
Have you been impacted by the nonstop truck traffic on Powell, Dundas, or Nanaimo? Witnessed a near-miss? Been woken up by trucks rattling past your window at 5 AM?
Tell your story —personal experiences make the difference.
Here's a spreadsheet with a form email you can adapt and a list of emails to contact.
Or:
Email the Port of Vancouver directly at community.feedback@portvancouver.com, and CC:
Mayor Ken Sim — ken.sim@vancouver.ca
Your Vancouver City Councillors
MLA Niki Sharma — niki.sharma.MLA@leg.bc.ca
MP Jenny Kwan — jenny.kwan@parl.gc.ca
MP Chrystia Freeland (Minister of Transport) — TC.MinisterofTransport-MinistredesTransports.TC@tc.gc.ca
Vancouver's Director of Transportation — paul.storer@vancouver.ca
Media
Original reporting by CBC and the Vancouver Courier, for additional background and context (2011-2012):
"Vancouver’s Clark Drive had similar pollution levels to a portion of Highway 401 in Toronto with more than a dozen lanes and 10 times more traffic."
Want to get involved?
A few neighbours have created a WhatsApp group and an Instagram account to keep everyone in the loop, share updates, and coordinate efforts.
You can join the WhatsApp group here, and on Instagram here: @SaferStreets_ReopenClarkDr.
The Instagram account will be a valuable place to post videos of truck noise, traffic, and other impacts we’re seeing every day. If you’ve captured something, feel free to send it in. For anyone not using Instagram, they've also set up an email address: reopen.clarkdr@gmail.com
1,041
The Issue
Port of Vancouver container trucks, heading up to the port from Richmond (via Knight/Clark) were "temporarily" rerouted off the Clark Drive entrance ramp in 2012, and onto Powell, Dundas, Nanaimo and McGill. Over a decade later, our residential streets are still flooded with diesel container trucks. It's time to put people before port traffic, and reopen the Clark Drive entrance to inbound trucks.
For over a decade, Hastings-Sunrise residents have lived with a “temporary” truck detour that was never made right. It’s time to fix it.
In 2012, during construction on the Port of Vancouver’s South Shore project, the City and Port temporarily closed the Clark Drive ramp for incoming container trucks, citing congestion concerns. At the time, officials promised the closure was short-term—once the project was done, trucks would be routed back through the purpose-built Clark Drive entrance.
In 2012, Jerry Dobrovolny, then Director of Transportation for the City of Vancouver stated:
"Once they complete [the South Shore expansion], [the Port] indicated the Clark Drive gate would re-open and at that time the trucks would just stay on Clark Drive and drive straight onto port property. That's the best solution. It reduces the amount of travel time on city streets."
That didn't happen.
Instead, thousands of industrial container trucks are now funneled through Powell, Dundas, Nanaimo and McGill Streets—dense residential corridors lined with homes, condos, schools, parks, and bike routes. Trucks barrel through at all hours, including late at night and early in the morning, shattering noise limits, degrading air quality with diesel exhaust, and making daily life unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists.
There is no school zone at Tillicum Elementary, which sits just meters from the intersection of Dundas and Nanaimo, where container trucks make difficult turns. This is a disaster waiting to happen, with our children as collateral.
Meanwhile, the Clark Drive entrance remains closed to incoming port traffic; this was intended to be a purpose-built solution to get industrial traffic off our city streets and onto Stewart and Commissioner Streets, both port-exclusive roads. The Clark Drive ramp is also currently being used as an exit ramp for trucks, demonstrating its safety and usability for drivers.
Port officials now say the closure is permanent, citing congestion and geometry—without any public consultation and without exploring limited-hour solutions like overnight-only truck access, or off-peak hour usage. No alternative has been meaningfully considered.
We recognize that truck drivers are moving the goods that keep our city and country running. These are difficult jobs, and drivers deserve safe, efficient, and purpose-built routes—not unpredictable detours through residential streets, school zones, and pedestrian crossings.
Reopening Clark Drive isn't just a win for residents — it's a win for drivers, too. The Clark entrance was designed for port access. It’s direct. It’s safer. And it keeps everyone — families, commuters, and truckers — out of unnecessary conflict zones.
It is a key priority of the city to reopen this entrance. Or was. Reopening the Clark Dr. entrance to incoming port traffic features prominently in the City of Vancouver's Transportation 2040 plan, and was slated to be tackled by 2017. And still, the Port says the closure is permanent, despite being pitched alternative ideas such as an off-peak reopening (7 pm to 7 am) or a timed, intermittent reopening.
Let’s be clear: this would never be allowed on W 4th, on the Drive or on Main St — also all major truck routes. So why is it acceptable in Hastings-Sunrise?
Our community is being treated like an industrial corridor, and we’ve had enough. It’s time for the Port and the City of Vancouver to:
- Reopen the Clark Drive port entrance to container trucks
- Redirect industrial traffic off Powell, Dundas and Nanaimo
- Protect residents—especially children and seniors—from diesel pollution, constant noise, and road danger
Have you been impacted by the nonstop truck traffic on Powell, Dundas, or Nanaimo? Witnessed a near-miss? Been woken up by trucks rattling past your window at 5 AM?
Tell your story —personal experiences make the difference.
Here's a spreadsheet with a form email you can adapt and a list of emails to contact.
Or:
Email the Port of Vancouver directly at community.feedback@portvancouver.com, and CC:
Mayor Ken Sim — ken.sim@vancouver.ca
Your Vancouver City Councillors
MLA Niki Sharma — niki.sharma.MLA@leg.bc.ca
MP Jenny Kwan — jenny.kwan@parl.gc.ca
MP Chrystia Freeland (Minister of Transport) — TC.MinisterofTransport-MinistredesTransports.TC@tc.gc.ca
Vancouver's Director of Transportation — paul.storer@vancouver.ca
Media
Original reporting by CBC and the Vancouver Courier, for additional background and context (2011-2012):
"Vancouver’s Clark Drive had similar pollution levels to a portion of Highway 401 in Toronto with more than a dozen lanes and 10 times more traffic."
Want to get involved?
A few neighbours have created a WhatsApp group and an Instagram account to keep everyone in the loop, share updates, and coordinate efforts.
You can join the WhatsApp group here, and on Instagram here: @SaferStreets_ReopenClarkDr.
The Instagram account will be a valuable place to post videos of truck noise, traffic, and other impacts we’re seeing every day. If you’ve captured something, feel free to send it in. For anyone not using Instagram, they've also set up an email address: reopen.clarkdr@gmail.com
1,041
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Petition created on June 11, 2025