Safety of crash site is studied
In the aftermath of last week’s deadly collision on Interstate 5 near Santa Clarita, a top Caltrans official on Wednesday confirmed that the speed limit in the area where the fiery pileup occurred was raised several years ago, and transportation authorities are now trying to determine whether that decision was appropriate.
“I am unclear at this point in time as to exactly why the speed limit was raised,” said Douglas Failing, Caltrans district director for Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
He said he has called for a “geometric analysis” of the road and 550-foot tunnel where the accident happened to determine the proper speed for trucks.
A preliminary review, Failing said, found that the speed limit near the tunnel has changed several times since it was built in the early 1970s.
At some point, he said, the speed limit was lowered to 45 mph. But several years ago, it was raised to its current limit of 55 mph.
Failing said the speed limit was increased because “it seems we didn’t have good substantiation on why that speed limit was originally lowered.”
When the speed limit was 45 mph, he said judges were known to dismiss speeding tickets given to truckers because they were unconvinced that the lower limit was justified.
Failing said he has asked his staff to fully investigate the reasons behind the speed limit changes in that area. He also said speeds that were appropriate when the freeway was built may not be right for modern-day trucks, which are much longer and heavier than they were 30 years ago.
“The trucks they were designing [the freeway] for are not the same trucks that we’re running today,” Failing said.
Truckers have complained that the stretch of highway where the accident occurred is particularly treacherous because lighting in the tunnel is dim and the road outside the tunnel curves.
Additionally, they said, it’s difficult for truckers entering the tunnel to know if there are hazards on the other side.
In addition to studying the speed limit, Failing said, transportation officials are considering a measures to improve safety conditions in and around the tunnel.
They include installing better lighting in the tunnel, enhancing the friction on the road, re-striping the road to better delineate lanes and using whiter concrete to improve visibility.
California Highway Patrol and Caltrans officials said it may be months before they know exactly what caused Friday’s 31-vehicle pileup. Three people were killed.
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Times staff writer Jeffrey L. Rabin contributed to this report.
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