SAN DIEGO–San Diego City Council adopted a resolution to protect Barrio Logan residents from the pollution created by heavy duty trucks driving through the community.
The resolution, proposed by Environmental Health Coalition (EHC) in early 2018, will establish a truck route in Barrio Logan to route heavy duty trucks away from residents’ homes, schools and senior centers.
EHC, an organization fighting for social and environmental justice in the region’s low-income communities of color for more than 38 years, says the policy will advance clean air and safe streets in Barrio Logan by directing heavy-duty trucks to use Harbor Drive as the designated route for passing through Barrio Logan and accessing the freeway. The resolution will also increase the number of streets in Barrio Logan that prohibit heavy-duty vehicles.
“In my time in office, we have been working on prohibiting trucks from entering the Barrio Logan neighborhood and I am very pleased that this truck route will finally be approved by the City Council. Barrio Logan is a thriving and growing community in the heart of San Diego and this truck route will improve the residents’ quality of life, lessen noise, traffic and pollution,”says David Alvarez, San Diego City Councilmember for District 8, which includes Barrio Logan.
Many local agencies including the Port of San Diego, the Barrio Logan Planning Group and the Chicano Park Steering Committee have supported establishment of the truck route and EHC developed the proposed policy with input from the Barrio Logan community.
In 2017, EHC worked closely with residents to collect air quality data and truck activity along Boston Avenue between 28th and 32nd streets – the only area zoned as exclusively residential in Barrio Logan. Within a two-hour period, community members recorded up to 59 heavy duty trucks on the residential street. EHC says that community education will be an important next step in order to ensure that drivers adhere to the truck route.
“We know that enforcement of the new resolution will be key to ensuring that heavy duty trucks steer clear of the restricted streets where people live, learn and play,” says Jerry Rivero, director of EHC’s Toxic Free Neighborhoods campaign.
