HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 03151988 - S.4 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: Supervisor Tom Torlakson Contra
Costa
DATE: March 15, 1988 County
SUBJECT: REFER TO THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE THE PROBLEM OF TRUCKERS
VIOLATING "RIGHT-LANE-ONLY" RESTRICTION OVER THE WILLOW PASS GRADE
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND'JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Request that the Transportation
Committee develop a letter to be sent to all the major trucking firms
in Contra Costa County emphasizing the need for their cooperation in
reducing the problem of truckers violating the "right lane only"
restriction over the Willow Pass Grade.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: As Mr. Willis Lamm of Antioch
indicated in his letter, dated February 19, 1988, to the
Transportation Committee (copy attached) , a significant amount of
truck traffic over the Willow Pass Grade does not comply with the
"right lane only" restriction. My office has been working very
closely with the Highway Patrol in enforcing this traffic restriction
but this problem continues to aggravate this well-known bottleneck.
My suggestion is that a letter be sent from the Board of
Supervisors to all the major trucking firms in Contra Costa County,
particularly the beverage companies, garbage companies and other
industries that are hauling in and out of East County. We should also
write to the Industrial Association for their assistance. This letter
should strongly urge these companies to ensure their drivers comply
with this truck traffic restriction.
The Transportation Committee should review this suggested
letter and request the Highway Patrol' s input and cooperation in
enforcing this traffic restriction.
TT:gro
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S)
ACTION OF BOARD ON March 15, 1988 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT II, III ) I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AYES: NOES: AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
CC: Transportation Committee ATTESTED 05� /J- /9,??
Community Development - Trans Phil Batchelor, Clerk of the Board of
County Administrator
Supervisors and County Administrator
M382/7-83 BY DEPUTY
E
-� CEIVEF_3 Fr`-B, LI 1f],53
Willis Lamm
927 Orchard Lane
Antioch,- CA 94509 RECEIVED
( 415) 757-5286
February 19 , 198 FEB 2 2 1988
Traffic Committee PH't BATCHELOR
CLERK uOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors a 0IN';'141 OSTACO,
651 Pine St.
. Martinez , CA 94553
Re: Traffic Congestion; Hwy. 4 over Willow Pass Grade
Dear Committee Members:
I think I speak for most East County residents in thanking you
for funding an additional westbound lane on highway 4 over the
Willow Pass Grade. This additional lane is no doubt needed.
This aggravating bottleneck is further complicated by illegally
operated trucks which not only affect the westbound direction,
but also the three-lane eastbound direction.
Last month I was travelling eastbound and encountered a truck
carrying a crane in the left lane, travelling just over 30 MPH.
It was passing a transit bus (in the #2 lane) which was passing a
garbage truck (in the right lane) . Needless to say, I was in a
lot of congested traffic while the roadway in front of this
snail's race was clear as far as I could see. A few weeks later
I encountered a similar situation westbound with a chemical truck
which took nearly a mile to pass a steel truck. Along both
directions were a dozen or more signs reading "TRUCKS RIGHT LANE
ONLY" . It seemed to me that these sighs were routinely being
ignored.
At the beginning of this month I decided to keep an eye on the
trucks whenever I went over the Willow Pass Grade. Every single
time I crossed the grade during daylight hours, at least one
heavy truck was in the left lane passing another, either
eastbound or westbound, in the restricted lane area. Although my
survey was far from scientific, I must conclude that the "RIGHT
LANE ONLY" signs are being generally ignored by the truckers.
Most of the observed violators were travelling faster than the
two incidents described above, but they all seemed to have some
impact on the flow of traffic over the grade. Perhaps some
enforcement on the grade will permit the left lanes to be left
open for faster moving traffic, like us commuters.
ols-MmUMN
Dago Members truly yours,
County Administrator
Hc4�" uBrvlc" Willis Lamm
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