MISSION VIEJO : Big Trucks May Be Banned on Alicia

Large trucks may be banned from a section of a major thoroughfare if the City Council decides to impose a vehicle weight restriction at its meeting tonight.

The ordinance would keep heavier semitrailer trucks off Alicia Parkway between Olympiad and Jeronimo roads.

Alicia Parkway became a popular route for larger vehicles when construction of its extension linked the Rancho Santa Margarita community and Interstate 5.

However, motorists on that route need to pass through Mission Viejo to get to the freeway.

Concerned residents and city officials are afraid that the increased traffic will create a safety hazard and will damage the street.

By restricting truck movement through the area, the city staff hopes to reduce the amount of commercial traffic on the street and reduce wear and tear to the asphalt. The city also wants to protect a $1-million investment in street improvements made recently to Alicia Parkway.

The council has considered a limited, citywide ban on commercial trucks that would restrict them to four major streets. The proposal was tabled last February to study the effects of the recent opening of two connector roads, the Alicia Parkway and Oso Parkway extensions.