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DISCUSSION
City of San Bernardino
Request for Council Action
Date: April 17, 2024
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
From: Charles A. Montoya, City Manager;
Lynn Merrill, Director of Public Works, Operations &
Maintenance
Department: Public Works
Subject: Adopt an Urgency Ordinance Restricting Truck Traffic on Certain Roadway Segments Within the City Limits.
Recommendation:
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California, Adopt Urgency Ordinance No. MC-1635, amending Section 10.24.190 of the City of San Bernardino Municipal Code to restrict Commercial Vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating exceeding 30,000 pounds on certain segments of City roads, specifically University Parkway (State Street) from the eastern off ramp of Interstate 210 to Baseline Road; and Pepper Avenue from Ninth Street to Randall Avenue.
Executive Summary
The urgency ordinance regulation prohibits trucks on two roadway segments: (1) along University Parkway, between the I-210 Freeway eastbound off-ramp and Baseline Street; and (2) on Pepper Avenue between 9 th Street and Randall Avenue. This will ensure that truck movements do not damage the City roadway system and provide a safer environment for the traveling public on the City’s roadway network. An urgency ordinance is necessary in order to protect the residential neighborhoods and schools from immediate and unexpected safety impacts, as well as to prevent immediate damage to two newly constructed street segments, including University Parkway from Baseline Street to the I-210 Freeway, and Pepper Avenue from the 210 Freeway to Randall Avenue.
Background
To accommodate the large volumes of truck traffic for businesses and growth in industrial and distribution sectors, the City of San Bernardino is in the process of 1 9
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adopting a truck circulation map, which is a part of the Truck Route Study, which will be included in the General Plan update in the foreseeable future. The adoption of the recommendations in the Truck Route Study, and the subsequent passing of an ordinance adopting the recommendation of the Truck Route Study, will allow the City Council to designate the routes that trucks must use when passing through the city, and traveling to and from points within San Bernardino. The future Truck Route Study ordinance will provide the City the ability to legally enforce the truck routes citywide.
Truck route signage will be installed along the truck routes as part of this implementation plan. This truck route network will be developed to facilitate goods movement for commercial vehicles/trucks along strategic corridors to minimize impacts on collector and local streets, as well as to protect the residential neighborhoods from truck traffic.
The new General Plan update has analyzed the potential truck routes, which included consideration of land use, roadway functional classification, pavement conditions, industrial corridors and single site locations, inter-agency linkages, truck delivery needs, and overall city circulation needs.
Pepper Avenue between I-210 and Randall Avenue is jointly operated and maintained within certain segments by both the City of Rialto and City of San Bernardino. At the Rialto City Council Meeting of February 28, 2023, the City of Rialto adopted an interim urgency ordinance to prohibit trucks on Pepper Avenue between the I-210 Freeway and Rialto Avenue for 22 months. The City of Rialto has requested the adoption of an urgency ordinance within the City of San Bernardino's jurisdiction in order to effectively enforce the truck route prohibitions on Pepper Avenue between the I-210 Freeway and Randall Avenue. The new truck route prohibition will be applied on Pepper Avenue between 9th Street and Randall Avenue within the City of San Bernardino jurisdiction.
University Parkway between Hanford Avenue and Baseline Street was opened to traffic on December 15, 2023. This newly constructed road serves as a vital link connecting the residential community to the businesses on Highland Avenue to the north and Baseline Street to the south. To enhance safety for local schools, area residents, and the newly constructed pavement section on University Parkway, between Hanford Avenue and Baseline Street, staff is recommending restricting truck traffic on University Parkway between the I-210 Freeway eastbound off-ramps and Baseline Street, in both directions.
Both of these routes are newly constructed or rehabilitated, and as such, create a new opportunity for unauthorized truck routes through residential neighborhoods and through areas with adjacent schools. In order to protect these communities from potential hazards resulting from heavy trucks moving through at higher speeds, it is necessary to recommend the adoption of Urgency Ordinance No. MC-1635 while the General Plan and Truck Route Study are being undertaken. The Urgency Ordinance is being requested by the City of Rialto for the City of San Bernardino portion of Pepper Avenue segment between the I-210 Freeway and Randall Avenue in order to 1 9
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correlate to the urgency ordinance adopted by the City of Rialto on February 28, 2023.
Discussion
The movement of trucks is regulated by the State of California for State highways and Interstate routes within California, and local jurisdictions are permitted by State law to regulate access by trucks to local roadways. Other policies, establishing the right to regulate truck trips and enforce weight limits are defined by the California Vehicle Code (CVC). Maximum truck size and weight regulations in the CVC ensure that trucks have safe operating characteristics, such as clearance under bridges, turning radius at corners, and stopping capability. The regulations also ensure that truck movements and parking do not damage state and local highways and roadways. The CVC allows local jurisdictions to issue permits to vehicles in excess of these size or weight standards.
The CVC includes sections that define how truck size and weight limits may be enforced and provides authority to local jurisdictions to establish truck routes on specific streets and to prohibit trucks on other streets.
The current General Plan has the following policies related to trucking. These are listed in the General Plan under Goal 6.5, which is titled “Develop a transportation system that reduces conflicts between commercial trucking, private/public transportation, and land uses”:
•6.5.1 Provide designated truck routes for use by commercial/industrial trucking that minimize impacts on local traffic and neighborhoods. •6.5.2 Continue to regulate on-street parking of trucks to prevent truck parking on residential streets or in other locations where they are incompatible with adjacent land uses. The use of signs, restricted parking, limited parking times, and the posting of “No Overnight” parking signs are mechanisms that can be employed depending upon the specific needs of the affected area. •6.5.3 Prepare neighborhood protection plans for areas of the City where heavy vehicle traffic or parking becomes a significant enforcement problem. (C-2) •6.5.4 Require that on-site loading areas minimize interference of truck loading activities with efficient traffic circulation on adjacent roadways. (LU-1) There are existing Municipal Code provisions that govern the use of trucks or parking of trucks on specific streets within San Bernardino. The Code text establishes limits for these activities on the roadways based on vehicle weight, through the following sections:
10.24.190 Commercial Vehicles Prohibited on Certain Streets:
A. Pursuant to the authority and restrictions of Vehicle Code Sections 35701, et seq., no person shall operate or drive any commercial vehicle upon the streets shown on Attachment 3, and the Traffic Engineer shall cause appropriate signage to be erected giving notice thereof.
B. Pursuant to the authority and restrictions of Vehicle Code Sections 35701, 1 9
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et seq., no person shall operate or drive any vehicle exceeding a maximum gross weight limit of ten thousand pounds upon the streets shown on Attachment 4, and the Director of Public Services shall cause appropriate signs to be erected giving notice of such weight limitation prohibition.
C. Pursuant to the authority and restrictions of Vehicle Code Sections 35701, 35703, et seq., no person shall operate or drive any commercial vehicle having a manufacturer's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) exceeding thirty thousand (30,000) pounds upon the streets shown on Attachment 5, and the Director of Public Services shall cause appropriate signs to be erected giving notice of such weight limitation prohibition.
Truck prohibitions on certain roadways are regulatory measures implemented to ensure safety, efficiency, and sustainability in transportation networks. These prohibitions restrict the access of heavy trucks to specific routes or areas where their presence could pose risks to infrastructure, public safety, and environmentally sensitive area such as schools and residential communities, such as the segment of roadway along Pepper Avenue between 9th Street and Randall Avenue. Justification for truck prohibitions stems from various factors including roadway characteristics, traffic patterns, community issues and concerns, and environmental considerations.
Safety Concerns
One of the primary justifications for implementing Urgency Ordinance No. MC-1635 is to mitigate safety risks associated with heavy truck traffic on certain roadways within the City of San Bernardino. Pepper Avenue along the segment of the roadway where the prohibition would apply does not support travel lane widths for the specific classification of trucks that exceeds the maximum weight limit and the number of axles. Narrow roads and narrow lanes would likely increase the frequency of accidents involving trucks.
Prohibiting trucks from traversing these routes will help reduce the potential for collisions, rollovers, and other incidents that endanger motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists.
University Parkway also consists of narrow roadways above Foothill Boulevard and is adjacent to roadways without adequate shoulder or sidewalks between Foothill Boulevard and Baseline Street. These routes are used by school children going to and from the adjacent schools. Prohibiting trucks from traversing these routes will help reduce the potential for collisions, rollovers, and other incidents that endanger motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists.
Infrastructure Protection
Heavy trucks exert significant pressure on pavement and bridges, accelerating wear and tear on roadways, and necessitating costly repairs and maintenance. By restricting truck access on Pepper Avenue, which is not designed to accommodate trucks with a gross 1 9
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vehicle weight rating exceeding 30,000 pounds, the City can prolong the lifespan of pavement section, protect curb radiuses at the turning points, and limit knockdown of traffic signal poles at intersection turning points. As a result, public infrastructure will be preserved, and protection of existing roadway improvements will result in allocating resources more effectively for maintenance and upgrades to other areas in the City of San Bernardino.
Environmental Impacts
Heavy trucks are major contributors to air and noise pollution, particularly in urban environments where population density is high. Pepper Avenue between I-210, 9 th Street, and Randall Avenue has many land uses that are comprised of middle schools, high schools, single-family homes, mobile homes, and retail establishments. By diverting truck traffic away from these environmentally sensitive areas, the City of San Bernardino can reduce emissions, noise levels, and negative impacts to the community.
The justification and findings above serve as a basis for informed decision-making and policy formulation regarding the regulation of truck traffic on diverse roadway networks. 2021-2025 Strategic Targets and Goals
This project is consistent with Key Target No. 3d: Improved Quality of Life – Improve the City’s appearance, cleanliness, and attractiveness by eliminating damage to the City’s infrastructure and maintaining the appearance of newly paved roadway segments.
Fiscal Impact
There is no General Fund impact associated with this action. The total cost to complete is approximately $2,000. to produce and install the signs. There is sufficient budget within the Gas Tax for this item.
Conclusion
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California, Adopt Urgency Ordinance No. MC-1635, amending Section 10.24.190 of the City of San Bernardino Municipal Code to restrict Commercial Vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating exceeding 30,000 pounds on certain segments of City roads, specifically University Parkway (State Street) from the eastern off ramp of Interstate 210 to Baseline Road; and Pepper Avenue from Ninth Street to Randall Avenue.
Attachments
Attachment 1: Urgency Ordinance No. MC-1635
Attachment 2: Commercial Vehicles Prohibited Locations
Attachment 3: Weight Limit Restriction Locations – 10,000lbs Attachment 4: Weight Limit Restriction Locations – 30,000lbs 1 9
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Ward:
3 & 6
Synopsis of Previous Council Actions:
N/A