Trucks Banned on California Highway

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 1361 this week, banning vehicles with three or more axles or a gross weight of 9,000 pounds or more on a segment of the Angeles Crest Highway (State Route 2)
between the city of La Canada Flintridge and County Route N2 in Los Angeles County.

This bill was introduced after an incident in April 2009 between a commercial truck and passenger vehicle that resulted in two fatalities.

According to published reports, a 12-year-old girl and her father were killed when a truck traveling down a steep grade on the highway struck vehicles and a strip mall where the highway dead-ends. Brake problems were blamed for the crash, and the driver also allegedly ignored warning signs.

Gov. Schwarzenegger, in response to the April incident, immediately authorized a 90-day prohibition of commercial truck traffic in order for Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol to investigate. In addition, the governor directed Caltrans and the CHP to provided technical and professional advice in legislative efforts to find a permanent solution to the problems on the route.