Dear Red Phone, It is quite obvious that truck drivers cannot
read road signs about Highway 152 between Gilroy and
Watsonville.
“Dear Red Phone, It is quite obvious that truck drivers cannot read road signs about Highway 152 between Gilroy and Watsonville. It is not a truck route. The cost of the fine for being off the truck route must be a slap on the wrist and no violation penalties against their license. When a truck and trailer in excess of the legal length limit illegally travel on this section of Highway 152, it is just a matter of time before a major catastrophic accident will happen. Can there be any additional enforcement by CHP, Sheriff’s office and the local PD to enforce the truck route? What does it take to get the fine and penalty increased for the truckers to pay attention and realize this section of 152 is not a truck route?”
Red Phone: Dear Weight Watcher, Unfortunately you are correct. Heavy trucks are a frequent sight on Highway 152 despite the posted signs.
Santa Clara County Municipal Code Sec. B17-5.1 says, “Trucks over 45 feet in length are hereby prohibited from the section of State Highway 152 in the unincorporated area of Santa Clara County between Gilroy city limits and the Santa Cruz County line in accordance with the provisions of the California Vehicle Code § 21101(c). Trucks are hereby defined as tractor-trailer combinations with a total length of 45 feet. The designated alternate route for vehicles prohibited on Highway 152 shall be Highway 129.”
But there is an exemption for trucks “providing services, making pickups or deliveries of goods, wares and merchandise, or delivering construction materials to sites within the restricted segment that have no other means of access, while actually involved in and transacting such activities.”
The fines set up by the California Department of Motor Vehicles may be considered a slap on the wrist by some especially if they are hauling thousands of dollars worth of items.
Six years ago, then Senator Bruce McPherson introduced a bill (SB 1729) that increased the fine from $35 to $100. Still a slap on the wrist but it more of a deterrent.
The California Highway Patrol does respond to complaints on Highway 152.
“We do get numerous calls of commercial vehicle combinations violating the over-length regulations going over Hecker Pass Highway,” said CHP Public Information Officer Matt Peters. “In addition to our normal patrol duties in that area, we try and respond to these calls in a timely manner to find the violators from either the Santa Cruz County side or Santa Clara County side. We take this violation very seriously as we know that it is a very mountainous and heavily traveled roadway.”
You can call the CHP at 848-2324 to report a violation on Highway 152.
Polluter dumping oil in drains
“Where can I report a neighbor who dumps antifreeze and oil into the storm drain? I’ve contacted a few numbers in Gilroy but have not received a response.”
Red Phone: Dear Environmentally Sound, The purple spotted fish and horned salamanders thank you for your concern for the environment. People often think that industries cause the most pollution. While they do cause their fair share, it is actually households and other other nonpoint sources such as pesticides, fertilizers and oil that cause the most pollution, the EPA says.
Hazardous waste removal is handled by the Santa Clara Department of Health, which maintains drop-off facilities in San Martin for waste including motor oil. They request that you visit www.sccgov.org or call 299-7300 to make an appointment. Or you can drop off used oil free of charge at Auto Zone at 6900 Chestnut St. or Jiffy Lube at 701 1st St. in Gilroy. So your neighbor has no excuse not to recycle.
If you notice someone continuing to discard the environment, you can call 494-2750 to report him or her. With a little effort on our part, we can help make the world a better place to live.
