Police Patrolling Big Rig Traffic In Wilmington Neighborhood After Shipping Container Crushes Car
WILMINGTON (CBSLA) - After a shipping container fell off a big rig truck's chassis and crushed a car Tuesday, officers with the Los Angeles Police Department were in Wilmington keeping a close on Wednesday's traffic.
Though there were no injuries, the accident occurred in a neighborhood where residents have been complaining about heavy congestion and safety issues.
"The trucks should not be going through the residential street and we need to put a stop to that getting a truck route," said Valerie Contreras of the Wilmington Neighborhood Council. "Also, there are too many trucks coming to Wilmington meaning there are too many storage yards and facilities and we need to make sure is regulated."
Contreras said the stacking of cargo containers at trucking yards is prohibited, but not enforced. She said she's seen it all over town too.
Before the accident that demolished a car on Anaheim Street Tuesday, a white container at a yard across the street was precariously balanced on other containers.
"I've never seen that before. That's unacceptable," Contreras said.
Meanwhile, a mile and a half away on Blinn Avenue, homeowners said this kind of thing is common, 18-wheelers rolling through stop signs, making noise around the clock and shaking people's houses.
The crush of traffic at the ports of LA and Long Beach have made a bad situation worse.
"The solution is that they can go out the back way and they can stop because someone's going to get hurt, especially the kids. They can't ride their bikes. They can't skate. Pedestrians can't walk, the dust. I mean, they're tearing our properties up," said Wilmington resident Robert Richardson.
The big trucks move past signs barring trucks over 6,000 pounds on a daily basis. Asked for comment over the last two days, Councilman Joe Busciano, who represents the district, has yet to respond.