Highway 70 Dangers and Solutions

I’m Ed Smith, a Marysville truck accident lawyer. Marysville residents know that the stretch of Highway 70 between their city and Oroville is highly dangerous and the site of many fatal auto accidents. The section of highway, nicknamed “Blood Alley” has been the site of 13 fatal auto accidents in the last year alone and, although some of the accidents can be blamed on the outdated design of the highway, California Highway Patrol (CHP) says that reckless driving is a factor as well.

A Dangerous Route

Since the year 2010, 33 individuals have lost their lives in accidents on Blood Alley. Most recently, two were killed in an accident on Sunday, November 19, 2017. Butte County Supervisor Bill Connelly, whose friend died in a highway 70 accident in 2016, told reporters that the situation has caused him to be “pretty shook up.”

Additionally, last year, a Caltrans employee by the name of Paul Inman lost his life in a head-on collision when a driver attempted to pass a slow-moving truck on the two-lane highway. According to locals, drivers frequently attempt to pass slow trucks and farm equipment that often use the road, which is situated in an agricultural area.

One local grower told reporters that he thinks drivers simply don’t have the patience for locals who are trying to relocate farm equipment using the highway. Reportedly, cars often pass slow vehicles illegally in the highway’s center lane.

Possible Solution

Although CHP representatives claim that the high rate of accidents is the fault of impatient and reckless drivers, Caltrans is implementing an infrastructural solution that they hope will make the highway more safe.

Specifically, Caltrans will be making $500 million improvements to the highway that include structural changes like additional passing lanes to congested areas. Caltrans officials say that their goal is to provide travelers with safe passage around slower moving vehicles.

This solution has proved effective in the past between Marysville and Sacramento where a widened highway significantly reduced the frequency of crashes along what had previously been a highway known for injury and fatal collisions.

Local Objections

Despite Caltrans’ planned method being proved effective elsewhere, some local residents object to the widened highway. Objectors have claimed that the larger, faster roadway will be just as dangerous and that faster traffic will prevent locals from traveling the highway safely.

Some locals who don’t want lanes added to Highway 70 have suggested constructing a bypass around Marysville to separate local and commuter traffic. The city council stated that there will be time to hear objections before the construction is scheduled to start.

More From Marysville Truck Accident Lawyer, Ed Smith

Marysville Truck Accident Lawyer

I’m Ed Smith, a Marysville truck accident lawyer. Those hurt in auto accidents are often able to claim repayment for their damages. If you or someone you know has been injured in a crash, contact me at (530) 392-9400 for friendly, free advice. I’m available at (800) 404-5400 and AutoAccident.com as well.

I have been helping residents of Marysville and nearby areas obtain recompense in wrongful death and personal injury cases for more than three decades.

Reviews from my clients are available on Yelp, Avvo (a website for ranking attorneys), and Google.

I’m a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. MDAF is a forum for trial lawyers who’ve either won or settled cases worth at least $1 million.

See my firm’s Past Settlements and Verdicts.

AutoAccident.com is the best website for blogs and info about auto accident and personal injury in Northern CA.

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Highway 70 Dangers and Solutions