What to Know
- The 710 at the 5 freeways are among the 15 top Freight-Impacted areas in Southern California, according to a new report
- A 10-mile stretch on the 60 Freeway west of the I-15 is the longest freight-impacted area
- Those 10 miles take commuters an average of 30 minutes
The 710 at the 5 freeways are among the 15 top freight-impacted areas in Southern California, according to a new report.
Freight impact areas are locations where the amount of truck traffic on the road actually imposes delays on other traffic. Researchers analyzed traffic during afternoon peak hours.
A 10-mile stretch on the 60 Freeway west of 15 Freeway is the longest freight-impacted area, according to the report. The average speed during peak time -- about 20 mph.
Those 10 miles take commuters an average of 30 minutes. Researchers say if a driver in no traffic traveled 60 mph, that same distance would take them 20 minutes less.
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Some solutions can be costly. But the report recommends fixes that could bring more bang for the buck, like creating truck-only lanes and getting more trucks travelling during off hours.
"I can't work overnight," said Cesar Otero, a truck driver who delivers staging equipment. "I do work in the daytime. So maybe the trucks that do it like from city-to-city, not this one."
The California Trucking Association says to operate off hours someone has to receive the shipment, which complicates mandating delivery times. They point to the need for more truck parking, especially since freight drivers must take breaks.
But Caltrans says finding parking is complicated too. It depends on who owns the property and how owners will provide things like restrooms and even trash cans on site. Commuter Oscar Parra is hoping changes come soon. The state's freight mobility plan will be ready for public review by next summer.
"It's horrible," said Oscar Parra, a commuter. "Like, you spend practically an hour waiting to get where you needing to go."
Some 90 detectors across the state track the number and types of trucks passing through certain areas. The idea is to create better times to move certain cargo.
The 2016 Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act requires states to address the significant impact of congestion or delays caused by the freight industry by 2019.
California's freight mobility plan will be ready for public review next summer.
