Title
Longer Combination Vehicles - LCV's.
Discussion
Long Beach and the Gateway Cities Council of Governments are working together to develop a solution for improving traffic congestion on the I-710 Corridor. The 1-710 Oversight Committee will be forwarding to the City Council a list of recommendations culled from a number of public meetings that will protect the safety of motorists as well as incorporate a number of air quality improvements while allowing trucks to move efficiently from the ports to their markets.
Some states outside of California allow Longer Combination Vehicles (LCV's) that consist of longer double tractor and triple tractor trailers. The U.S. Department of Transportation Comprehensive Size and Weight Study found that these LCV's are at least 11 % more likely to be involved in a fatal accident, heavier single trailer trucks are more likely to experience dangerous rollover and braking problems, and longer and heavier trucks cause a greater amount of damage to our roads, freeways and bridges. For instance, the Center for Transportation Research found that the damage done by just one tractor-trailer rig is equivalent to the damage done by 2,000-3,000 passenger vehicles; and a 95,000 pound truck does three times the damage of an 80,000 pound truck. A 1983 CalTrans study found that LCV's can result in "greatly increased pavementedge damage, roadside equipment damage, and a hazard to adjacent traffic."
Current state and federal laws ban LCV's. However, because the 1-710 plan may consist of dedicated truck lanes, it is critical that Long Beach remain steadfast in its opposition to LCV's on the I-710, its on/offramps, truck lanes, and any city streets within the City of Long Beach.
For this reason, we respectfully request that the City Attorney be requested to draft a resolution opposing Longer Combination Vehicles (LCV's) within the City of Long Beach as a condition of approval for the 1-710 project in preparation for consideration by the 1-71...
Click here for full text