By Christy Scott
The Alpine Sun
     CAMPO — Many residents were left unsatisfied after a presentation from Carrizo Gorge Railway, Inc. representatives, at the Campo/Lake Morena Planning Group meeting held Monday night, Feb. 27. The presentation by railway Vice President Byron Wear, was intended to address community concerns, however, residents were largely unhappy with the responses.
     In fact, many of those responses were identical to the remarks and promises made at a similar meeting in July 2001 — and which, in resident’s eyes, were not kept.
     “You have no credibility here with me,” said Campo resident Carl Randall. “You don’t give a damn about the people in this community.”
     The major concern among residents is the operation of sand trucks, which load and unload at the Campo station, near Forrest Gate Road and Highway 94, and travel along Buckman Springs Road to and from Interstate 8.
     According to Wear, the company has voluntarily curtailed the hours of operation for trucks hauling along the route.
“We have taken voluntary actions that are not required by any federal or state agencies,” he said. “We’re doing this to be good neighbors, and to try to quell some of the concerns in the community.”
     Though legally permitted to operate 24 hours per day, the hauling operations have been limited, with no loaded trucks leaving the Campo yard between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. This, however, does not apply to trucks that are traveling empty to the station to be loaded. According to Wear, those trucks are able to operate at any time.
     Wear’s presentation addressed a list of 22 concerns that had been raised by planning group members and residents.
     Of major concern are the driving habits of the truckers, which include speeding, caravanning, passing, and the use of jake brakes in residential areas along BSR.
     According to Wear, all drivers contracted through Carrizo Gorge Aggregate Company will be required to sign a driver pledge to obey all laws and rules of the road.
     “We’ve already done this,” said planning group chairwoman Bev Esry. “It hasn’t done anything to stop the problems along Buckman.”
     The trucks, which haul for the Carrizo Gorge Railway, are individual contractors that are subcontracted via an affiliated company, Carrizo Gorge Aggregate Company.
     Loaded trucks traveling slowly along steep portions of BSR are a major concern for residents who argue that it creates dangerous driving conditions for those trying to pass the trucks. 
     In recent years, there have been three accidents along BSR that have involved sand trucks. Two accidents at the Cottonwood Bridge in December 2001 and December 2002, took out nearly 50 feet of railing and ran off the bridge, resulting in closures at Mountain Empire High School. Another, which happened last August resulted in the death of three Back Country residents.
     According to CHP reports, a vehicle carrying the three victims pulled around a sand truck that was traveling at a reduced speed along BSR, resulting in a head-on collision with a vehicle coming the other direction. One survivor in the second vehicle sustained major injuries and was transported to Sharp Hospital by an air ambulance.
     CHP officers have determined that the trucks have not been at fault in any of the recent accidents.
     “It's impatient people who are the problem. The trucks have the right to be on the road,” said CHP officer Mitch Sanchez at a planning group meeting in September.
     About the only likely solution is to add passing lanes, something the planning group has asked the county Traffic Advisory Committee to research, Esry said.
     “What we need are some turnouts,” she said. “It's not just the sand trucks, it's the crazy drivers who try to pass them.”
     According to Wear, Carrizo Gorge Railway will work with the planning group and residents to identify potential locations for northbound truck turnouts on BSR.
     Fred Butler, who has lived along Buckman Springs Road in Campo for 20 years, is among those who want the trucks banned completely from driving the road. 
     “Get rid of them,” he said at a September discussion of the problem. “Maybe the crashes aren't their fault, but if the trucks weren't on the road, people wouldn't have been passing,” Butler said. “The road is not safe with the sand trucks.” 
     Sanchez disagreed with Butler.
     “People who will pass sand trucks will pass anyone who slows them down,” he said. “The trucks are going to be here and people are just going to have to wait until they can pass safely.”
     Another major concern for residents involve the two schools along BSR, Campo Elementary and Mountain Empire High School. Children are often walking along the road to and from school, or waiting for school buses in the morning.
According to Wear, Carrizo is willing to financially assist the community and the county to install flashing lights in school areas, and will construct enclosed shelters for student school-bus stops.
     In the hope of reducing some of the truck traffic on BSR, Carrizo Gorge Railway, Inc. has gotten involved with efforts to build a new border crossing in Jacumba/Jacume in hope of expediting the process. According to Wear, the company is also working on a possible multimodal yard in Jacumba to take some of the burden of the Campo station.
     While many residents remained unsatisfied by the answers provided by Wear, Bob Shea, who serves as liaison with the rail company, said that he appreciates the efforts by Wear and Carrizo to work with the community and deal with concerns.
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