Truck Traffic Through Fillmore

Re a story Sept. 20 reporting that gravel mine operators have asked to double their trucks’ trips through Fillmore:

I find it amazing that the gravel companies would ask for a further increase in truck traffic, much less double it. I farm along Highway 23, and during the week hardly a moment’s peace can be had as constant brake squeal, heavy acceleration and repeated squeal of speeding gravel trucks characterize the section between the 90 degree turns at Elkins Ranch Golf Course and the Bardsdale Avenue intersection.

The trucks’ rear axles encroach on traffic in the opposite lanes as they maintain as much momentum as possible. A thick odor of brake dust lingers all day as these drivers neglect the posted 15 mph signs.

They cut through Fillmore behind Vons, and recently down rural South Mountain Road toward Santa Paula, with the standard and obvious annoyance at light vehicular, cyclist and pedestrian traffic. If the 23 is any indication, South Mountain Road will soon be home to fatalities and overturned trucks, as it is at least as dangerous as Highway 23, and allows higher speeds.

Fillmore has neglected to plan for the traffic on Highway 126, and the result is a constantly backed-up light on the intersection of two highways. The only long-term solution that nobody wants to face is to reroute the 126 and possibly the 23 or build an over/underpass.

Moorpark seems to have enough clout to get the trucks to stay on the Santa Clara Valley side, so Fillmore has gotten the brunt of it. Routing heavy traffic onto surface streets through Bardsdale to South Mountain is more dangerous than through Fillmore and onto the 126.

Perhaps the gravel mines wish to increase the rate of removal so that they can get closer to what many such operations turn to next: the lucrative landfill business. Serious community involvement is in order here.

ZACK GRIFFIN

Ventura