Home Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Approve Ordinance Restricting Big-Rigs on Camino Diablo

Board of Supervisors Approve Ordinance Restricting Big-Rigs on Camino Diablo

by ECT

On Tuesday, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance that would prevent big-rigs from traveling on Camino Diablo between Marsh Creek Road and Byron Highway.

Under the Ordinance commercial vehicles with a gross weight of more than 14,000 pounds are prohibited from using Camino Diablo at all times between Marsh Creek Road and Byron Highway.

The issue was brought forward by residents who complained of unsafe traffic conditions and that the weight of the vehicles were creating vibrations that were damaging their homes. In response, the Byron Municipal Advisory Council and County Supervisor Mary Piepho’s Office, conducted an engineering analysis of Camino Diablo between Marsh Creek Road and Byron Highway.

According to Linnea Juarez, chair of the Byron Municipal Advisory Council, she says the road is not intended for commercial traffic.

“We have a narrow road without significant shoulders. The speed and weight of the trucks is causing a vibration problem that does two things. Starting at 4:30 am is the sound and vibration is impacting sleeping pattern of the neighboring. It’s also causing a damage and destruction to the adjacent of homes where the foundation and walls are cracking. We have had two neighbors come to our meeting that the vibration has caused the collapse of their wells. This is a significant impact of the people of Byron,” explained Juarez.

Steve Larson, of the Byron Municipal Advisory Council, highlighted that truck traffic has gone from a few a day to a 1,000 a day and that citizens of Byron deserve this restriction.

“We have seen Camino Diablo Road deteriorate quickly and as the road is deteriorating, the trucks are making more banging. I feel for the people who live in town. By restricting traffic, they then are using Marsh Creek, which may be a mile longer, but its flat. Trucks get much better gas mileage when its flat. Overall, the truck traffic would be faster and more economical,” said Larson. “I’d like to think this truck restriction is a start to turning Camino Diablo back into a nice quiet country road.”

According to the study, the rural road had a daily traffic volume that varies between 1,483 and 9,189 vehicles per day.

The analysis determined based on accepted engineering standards, Camino Diablo cannot support commercial vehicles with a gross weight of more than 14,000 pounds. Trucks off-tracking the paved roadway surface damage the shoulders and create dangerous depressions that make it difficult for vehicles to return to the paved roadway. Truck off-tracking may also result in encroaching onto the opposite direction of travel, leading to broadside or head-on collisions. Commercial vehicles weighing more than 14,000 pounds cannot travel on Camino Diablo without creating a traffic hazard for other vehicles, bicyclists, pedestrians, and persons that are simultaneously traveling on the roadway. (click here for the study).

Supervisor Karen Mitchoff asked how this ordinance would be enforced.

Public works explained that they would be posting signs recommending not using Camino Diablo or Holway Drive. The next step would be enforcement which would fall on the California Highway Patrol–staff did note that with a permit, picking up and dropping off items on the roadway is still allowed–if they are using Camino Diablo as a cut through.

Supervisor Mary Piepho explained this is an outcome to regional roadway projects which has altered traffic behavior.

“Marsh Creek Road is the new Highway 4. A lot of traffic does not take the route its intended to which is Highway 4 down Marsh Creek to the J4 intersection. A lot of vehicles are going straight through Marsh Creek Intersection and making the transition at the intersection to the Tracy area using Camino Diablo which is causing impact beyond what they are already facing, “ explained Piepho. “This is an effort to hopefully alter behavior.”

For truck drivers, this ordinance is estimated to add 2-5 minutes on average to their routes.

Collision History

In January 2012, the SR4 Bypass provided seamless truck route from SR4 to Marsh Creek Road to Byron Highway. For comparison purposes, collision rates for Camino Diablo were analyzed for periods before and after January 2012 to check if increased truck traffic has resulted in increased collision rates along Camino Diablo. Camino Diablo is divided into two segments due to vast differences in average daily traffic volume with each segment.

  • Camino Diablo Segment 1 is from Marsh Creek Road to Vasco Road and carries an average daily traffic volume of 1,483 vehicles per day.
  • Camino Diablo Segment 2 is from Vasco Road to Byron Highway and carries an average daily traffic volume of 9,189 vehicles per day.

The Contra Costa County Collision Report Database derived from the California Highway Patrol State-wide Integrated Traffic Reporting System (SWITRS) was used to segregate collisions along these two segments of Camino Diablo. The database includes collision histories from 2009 through April 2015 on both segments of Camino Diablo.

Results

  • Pre-January 2012, Segment 1: From 2009 through December 2011, there were a total of eight reported collisions in a 36-month period for a collisions rate of 0.22 collisions per month. A large truck was involved in one of the eight reported collisions, or 12.5% of the total collisions.
  • Post-January 2012, Segment 1: From January 2012 through May 2015, there were a total of eight reported collisions in the 41-month period for a collisions rate of 0.20 collisions per month. A large truck was involved in one of the eight reported collisions, or 12.5% of the total collisions.
  • Pre-January 2012, Segment 2: From 2009 through December 2011, there were a total of 12 reported collisions in the 36-month period for a collision rate of 0.33 collisions per month. A large truck was involved in two of the 12 reported collisions, or 16.7% of the total collisions.
  • Post-January 2012, Segment 2: From January 2012 through April 2015, there were a total of 21 reported collisions in the 41-month period for a collision rate of 0.51 collisions per month. A large truck was involved in five of 21 reported collisions, or 23.8% of the total collisions.

Pre-and Post 2012 Collision Rate and Truck-Involved Rate Change by Segment:

  • Segment 1: The collision rate declined moderately from 0.22 to 0.20 collisions per Month, a collision rate decrease of 9.9 percent. The truck-involved collision rate did not change.
  • Segment 2: The collision rate increased from 0.33 to 0.51 collisions per month, a collision rate increase of 53.8 percent. The truck-involved collision rate increased from 16.7% to 23.8%, a collision rate increase of 42.5%.

Editors notes: here is a look at the  Holway Drive Study

 

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