Beverly Hills explores heavy-truck street-safety options

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (KABC) -- A Beverly Hills task force met Thursday to discuss safety measures after two LAPD officers were killed by large industrial trucks in separate incidents in the last three months.

City leaders gathered input on a wide array of potential solutions.

A 30-day moratorium on heavy-haul trucks is in effect in the Trousdale area of Beverly Hills.

LAPD Officer Nicholas Lee was killed on Loma Vista Drive in March when an out-of-control large trash-hauling truck landed on a patrol car on its way to a call. Another officer was injured in that collision.

LAPD Detective Ernest Allen died on May 9 when a cement truck overturned on Loma Vista, landing on his pickup truck. Allen was off-duty at the time.

A week prior, on May 2, a cement truck was traveling on Loma Vista Drive when it struck six parked cars and overturned. No one was injured.

Neighborhood signs warn drivers of the grade. Officers are writing more speeding tickets.

Some suggestions include weight sensors in the street to track trucks that haul too much weight; fines for subcontractors who do not follow the permit process; cameras that read license plates to catch scofflaws; and mobile CHP inspection sites to check brakes.

Officials want details from traffic engineers now studying the road and the accident reports.

The city expects an engineering study before the end of the month.