Heavy Truck Traffic to Be Banned From P.V. Estates

The Palos Verdes Estates City Council on Tuesday adopted an ordinance banning through traffic by heavy trucks. The measure, which bans trucks weighing more than 6,000 pounds from traveling through the city, will take effect in four weeks, supplanting an urgency ordinance imposed July 25 by the council.

Council members said they imposed the ban because they feared road damage and safety hazards could result from several large construction projects proposed in neighboring Rancho Palos Verdes.

Officials said the projects could generate thousands of trips by trucks that could haul fill on Palos Verdes Drives West and North to the Chandler Quarry on Palos Verdes Drive East in Rolling Hills Estates.

Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor Jacki Bacharach said last week that she wanted Palos Verdes Estates to postpone adoption of the permanent truck ban. She said Rancho Palos Verdes residents who drive pickup trucks and motor homes on Palos Verdes Drive West and North would be affected by the ban, but Palos Verdes Estates officials said the ordinance would not be applied to private vehicles such as pickups or motor homes.

Bacharach was unavailable for comment regarding the final adoption of the ordinance.

The staffs of Rancho Palos Verdes, Palos Verdes Estates and Rolling Hills Estates have agreed to discuss truck safety issues at a meeting to be scheduled within the next two weeks, Rolling Hills Estates City Manager Ray Taylor said.

Palos Verdes Estates Mayor Ruth Gralow said she is eager to participate in the meeting but added: “We have homes within 25 feet of huge trucks coming up and down our streets. We do have unusual problems that we have to address with this ordinance to protect the public health, safety and welfare of the people in the community.”

Palos Verdes Estates Police Chief Gary Johansen said he expected road signs announcing the ban to be in place by Wednesday and that warnings will be issued. He said police will begin issuing citations in a few weeks.