Dear Editor,
Letter to the Malibu City Council,
At your last regular meeting, the sheriff reported, in relation to the tragic incident on PCH east of Cross Creek Road a few weeks ago, that the tanker truck had been returning from delivering fuel at Pt. Mugu. He mentioned that part in passing, as though it were totally normal. But that’s not a local Malibu delivery. (I believe the northern boundary of the “locals only” zone is Las Posas Road.)
Anecdotally, in the past year or two, I’ve noticed non-local trailer trucks on PCH more frequently than in the past. I find myself on PCH several times per week, and lately have noticed them several times per month. That works out to about one sighting for every hour of my drive time. Often they are car carriers, the kind that carry six or eight vehicles. (I don’t think that among our residents we have that many car buffs moving their entire collections that often.) Several neighbors have made similar observations. I wouldn’t necessarily call it an epidemic, but it definitely has been increasing.
I don’t know all of the facts about that incident near the bridge, but if it’s hard not to think that, if opportunity were any factor in it, that person might still be alive if enforcement had been more active.
What’s the solution? Is it sufficient for you just to remind law enforcement of their priorities? Do we need new improved signage at the gateways to the city? How about an advisory letter to commercial trucking association(s)? Or a little reminder notice that comes with every trucking license renewal, the way the blood alcohol chart comes with renewed driver licenses? If the sheriff and CHP don’t respond positively to your concerns, you might want to get with Cal Strategies and see what can be done in Sacramento.
While you’re at it, how about a reminder to delivery drivers that it’s illegal to park and unload from the center turning lane on PCH? This practice has been tacitly condoned by sheriff’s, but is literally an accident waiting to happen.
Getting the non-local trucks off of PCH is part of transforming it from a de facto freeway into a neighborhood boulevard.
Kraig Hill, Malibu