BEVERLY HILLS—The Beverly Hills City Council directed its staff at a June 17 Study Session to allow heavy hauling in the Trousdale area with a series of interim measures that would permit safe transit of large construction vehicles.
According to a press release from the City of Beverly Hills, multiple restrictions are in place to ensure safety. Large construction vehicles are defined as weighing 26,000 pounds and/or with at least three or more axles. The City is planning to introduce these measures in the coming weeks.
New interim measures will require construction managers and general contractors to turn in a plan for the safe operation of construction vehicles with a maximum of 50,400 pounds, and will include the following criteria:
- Limit of on-street parking for construction vehicles (plan for off-street parking)
- City-designated haul routes for large construction-related vehicles
- Secondary brake devices on all large construction-related trucks
- Verification of annual inspections of large commercial vehicle by City ofBeverly Hills
- Maximum 15 mph truck speed limit
- Large vehicle construction-related trips limited to weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.
- 24-hour notice required for large truck deliveries greater than 26,000 gross vehicle weight
Additional security will be present in the area, in addition to additional signage and educational material for truck drivers. Construction managers and general contractors will be held accountable for following the new rules intact. Any violations will lead to a shutdown of the construction site. The City Council’s goal is to ensure that zero serious accidents take place moving forward.
On March 7, Officer Nicholas Lee of the Los Angeles Police Department was killed in a traffic collision in the area. Lee was killed when a runaway truck slammed into his patrol car, which also resulted in injuries for his female partner. On May 2, a second cement truck on the same street crashed into several parked cars until it came to a halt on Drury Lane. The driver in that incident sustained serious injuries.
The death of a second LAPD officer on Loma Vista Drive, Officer Ernst Allen on May 9, prompted the suspension of heavy vehicle delivery and pick up in the Trousdale area until more safety measures were implemented. Allen died after a cement truck collided with his private vehicle. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
Possible permanent and long term solutions include certification of trucks, monitors or escorts of trucks traveling downhill with large loads and authorization for certain businesses for heavy haul services.
Issues involving speeding and street parking are expected to be discussed during later phases of the Trousdale traffic safety plan. Traffic control officers and signage are visible at all four Trousdale area entrances. Enforcement efforts have been heightened to make sure speeding laws are obeyed.