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June 4, 1999
Dear Ms Nomura,
This is in response to your letter to Director Jose Medina dated May 15, regarding the truck ban on I-580 in the city of Oakland.
In 1963, the California State Department of Public Works, currently known as the Department of Transportation (Caltrans), approved the City of Oakland's ordinance banning trucks from I-580 in the city of Oakland and designating Routes 238 and 17 (I-880) as the alternate route for trucks. The ordinance imposing the truck ban included a provision stating the ban would remain in effect until January 1, 1968, and if approval prior to that date for its continuance was given by the Federal Highway Administration and Caltrans, the ban would remain in effect unless repealed by the City Council of Oakland. In 1967, Caltrans conducted a study to verify that Routes 238 and I-880 were available and usable by trucks. The study found no reasons to justify the removal of the truck ban and recommended it be continued indefinitely. However, the approval of the truck ban extension for an indefinite period included the requirement that it be reviewed periodically to determine the desirability of its continuation. The last review by Caltrans was performed in 1972.
The California Trucking Association has requested that Caltrans reconsider its approval of the I-580 truck ban. In response to the requirement that the ban be reviewed periodically, Caltrans has agreed to review and update the 1967 study to see if circumstances still support continuing the truck ban.
The review of the study should take 6 to 9 months once resources have been allocated to perform the review. It is anticipated that upon completion of the review a decision will be considered either to take no further action, thus allowing the truck ban to remain in place, or to pursue with the City of Oakland the desirability of removing the ban.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please call me at Sincerely, |