Debris hauling continues

LA CRESCENTA — Dump trucks will continue hauling debris from nearby basins to a site above Markridge Road throughout the summer despite residents’ concerns about traffic and safety, officials said this week.

In an attempt to ease the steady stream of truck traffic on residential streets, Los Angeles County Public Works crews will install a machine that will process debris at the site next week to decrease the amount of hauling, said Steve Sheridan of Los Angeles County Flood Control District.

The processor will be used for three months, he added.

“You will hear some noise, but it won’t be louder than a car alarm,” Sheridan told residents at Thursday’s post-storm community meeting in La Crescenta.

County crews have been using the Dunsmuir Sediment Placement Site to dump debris that accumulated at the 32 foothill-area basins during the winter storms earlier this year.

About 1.2 million cubic yards of debris have been removed from the 32 basins — or enough to fill the equivalent of three Rose Bowls, Sheridan said.

Of that amount, about 451,000 cubic yards have been taken to the sediment placement site.

Sheridan said county officials plan to unload more debris at the site in the next few years, gradually filling its remaining 472,000-cubic-yard capacity.

That drew concerns from residents, who feared the packed site could give way during the next major rainstorm.

Residents were also troubled by the high volume of truck traffic on residential streets that lead to the site.

“I know things have to get done, we respect that,” said Paul Jensen, but he went on to voice concerns about a number of impacts that the high volume of truck traffic has brought to the area.

Sheridan said a geologist is always available at the site to ensure the ground is safe and seismically stable.

But a resident said she needed more assurance from county officials that the ground will be properly compacted.

“We are doing it in a professional manner,” Sheridan said.

Increased pollution and the safety of neighborhood children who frequently walk along the truck routes were among the top concerns, as was the driving behavior of the truck drivers.

The Glendale Police officers cited several truck drivers this winter for various vehicle violations.

Although the truck contractors hired for the project are independent, Sheridan said they must adhere to state safety laws and follow county-established routes.

Sheridan told residents to notify local police and sheriff’s deputies of any violations.

County officials plan to shape the site by first working on the west and east sides, then eventually install a storm drain connecting to Dunsmore Avenue.

An on-site processor will be used to sift through debris for appropriate material to use in building the site, Sheridan said.

The processor will be on the eastern part of the site and will operate from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

County crews will use water trucks and sweepers to control dust, he added.

Glendale officials will also monitor the type and amount of dust material sent into the atmosphere, said Steve Zurn, the city’s public works director.

Once the site has been filled and graded, it will become a recreational area for the city, Sheridan said. County crews will also restore a Los Angeles County Fire Department helipad, which has been covered with debris.