Councilman Presses Bid for Road Barriers

Fed up with what he says are twice as many deaths on California 126 as other state highways, Fillmore Councilman Roger E. Campbell is taking his campaign for placing concrete barriers on the road known as “Blood Alley” to each city council in Ventura County.

Campbell has already won support from his own City Council to send a letter to the state Department of Transportation in support of the barriers. The Simi Valley council voiced approval Monday, and agreed to consider an endorsement letter next week.

Campbell will ask Ventura County supervisors this morning for a similar letter, and plans to address the Camarillo and Moorpark councils Wednesday night.

“I’m not saying this will stop accidents, but it’ll stop head-on collisions,” Campbell said.

Campbell, who doubles as the city’s assistant fire chief and responds to accidents around Fillmore, began his latest call for the barriers after two men died in a violent collision two weeks ago.

But state officials concluded last year that the barriers were not feasible along that stretch of road because of the number of openings that would have to be cut to allow homeowners to get on and off the highway. State officials also said the barriers could possibly create more problems than they would solve.

Campbell said he does not buy that reasoning. He wants barriers erected between Boozey Road east of Santa Paula and Santa Clarita, excluding the city of Fillmore.

“Lives are being destroyed by the accidents occurring on that road,” he said.

Twenty-nine people have died on the stretch of road since 1989, a figure Campbell said is twice the state average.