MOORPARK : Ways Sought to Cut City’s Street Traffic

Watching a steady stream of trucks along California 118 in Moorpark, Assemblyman Nao Takasugi got a firsthand look at the city’s traffic woes.

Since the California Department of Transportation completed the Simi Valley-Moorpark Freeway connector last year, traffic on Moorpark’s streets has increased by more than 30%, according to Sheriff’s Department reports. Surveys show that traffic is up more than 10,000 truck and car trips a day on stretches of the road as it cuts through the city.

A 1992 survey by Larry Hail, a civil engineer working for a developer, counted a daily average of 27,000 vehicles along the highway between Moorpark Avenue and Spring Road. Another survey by Hail in January showed an average of 37,000 vehicles a day.

Much of the increased traffic is attributed to truckers avoiding the California Highway Patrol truck scales on the Conejo Grade, the Sheriff’s Department said. Another reason given for the increase is that improvements on the 118 make it a faster route to Oxnard and Ventura.

Takasugi came to Moorpark this week after hearing complaints about truck traffic. He met with city officials, a representative from the CHP and the head of the sheriff’s traffic division to discuss solutions. The group then headed out to watch the traffic on the highway.

They discussed a range of ideas to cut traffic, including banning commercial trucks from the highway, Mayor Paul Lawrason said.

“That’s not very possible,” he said. “But we wanted to go through every possible solution.”

Lawrason said placement of a permanent truck inspection station at the edge of the city was also discussed.

Takasugi will tour the Conejo scales next week and discuss ways to prevent commercial trucks from avoiding the scales.