Residents Unhappy with Truck Traffic on Garfield

Residents living on the portion of Garfield Avenue that is located between Imperial Highway and Firestone Boulevard have been unhappy since the early 2000s.  Their discontent is directly tied to the volume of truck traffic on their street.

“The problem is the incredible noise and pollution that trucks create,” said Hector Miguel Gonzalez, 69, an affected resident that has been living on Garfield Avenue for 12 years. “The trucks also make the houses shake.”

Garfield Avenue has been a designated truck route since the mid nineties.  This designation makes it a roadway that large trucks can use while travelling. The residents claim that the volume of truck traffic on their street has reached unprecedented levels.

So much so that some claim that they have been forced to spend extra money because of the the damage that their home has sustained.

 “My [wooden] floor is now unbalanced because of vibrations from the trucks,” said Morena Escobar, 41, an 8-year resident of Garfield Avenue. “I have had to get it fixed.”

The alleged noise problem has also led residents to strengthen their walls and windows.

“I have spent around $8000 remodeling my home to try and stop the noise,” said Gonzalez.

Vibrations and noise are not the only concerns of residents. The exhaust fumes from the heavy trucks are also a common complaint.

“The smell can be very strong,” said Enrique Donate, 42, a resident of Garfield Avenue since 2001. “You could say that it smells like chemicals.”

The City of South Gate is aware of these concerns.

Mohammad Mostahkami, Director of Public Works, has been working on finding solutions that could remedy some of the problems.

“We are encouraging businesses to tell their truck drivers to use Firestone Boulevard if they want to get on the freeway,” said Mostahkami . 

The discussions with local businesses, which own a large portion of the trucks, has led to a decrease in traffic, according to a recent test by the city.

In March of this year an average of 547 trucks used Garfield Avenue on a single day. While in May, an average of 513 trucks were recorded.

City officials claim that the decrease in  numbershappened because of the talks that they had with local businesses.

“We believe that after more meetings we will bring the current number of trucks down, ” said Mostahkami, who further added that South Gate is also considering restricting truck traffic during the evening.

All residents interviewed told South Gate Patch Latino that they have yet to feel a decrease in the volume of truck traffic.  In their opinion, large trucks should be banned from the area. They also do not believe that night restrictions will make a difference.

“What is going to stop [the trucks]? Is there going to be a policeman?” asked James Aldama, who has lived on Garfield Avenue for over 40 years. “It is going to be tough to enforce.”

However, residents have expressed optimism about coming up with an answer to this problem with help from the city.  This is despite questioning the potential solutions that have recently been brought up.

 “We are not against working with the city,” said Gonzalez. “All we ask is that trucks be sent through another route.” 

Keep up with South Gate Patch Latino by subscribing to breaking news alerts, liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter. Have an event or announcement you'd like to publicize? Submit them for free.