Council Seeks Ban on Truck Traffic

The City Council has decided to ask state transportation officials to ban large trucks from passing through town along Los Angeles Avenue.

The city adopted a resolution last Wednesday asking the California Transportation Commission to prohibit truck traffic on a 7 1/2-mile stretch of Highway 118, from the intersection of Los Angeles and Moorpark avenues to Highway 34 in Somis.

About 4,500 trucks use that route daily, causing cracked pavement and a decline in customers for businesses located along Los Angeles Avenue, according to the resolution.

Councilman Chris Evans said he doesn’t expect the resolution to be the final step in solving the city’s traffic concerns, but he hopes it will draw attention to the plight of local motorists.

“I think there’s enough bureaucracy in place to keep that from happening,” he said.

“But hey, it’s a first step, and it clearly shows that there’s a problem.”

Congestion along Moorpark’s busiest thoroughfare has been a problem for many years, as large trucks use the Los Angeles Avenue portion of Highway 118 to reach the western part of the county.

Trucks prefer cutting across Moorpark to climbing the steep Conejo Grade near Camarillo, because Los Angeles Avenue is relatively flat and has no truck inspection or weigh stations.

Bob Reman, executive director of the Transportation Commission, said he had not received the resolution at his Sacramento office Monday and was not sure whether any action would be taken in response.