TERMINAL ACCESS FOR INTERSTATE TRUCKS

Los Angeles Municipal Code ch. VIII, div. G

in effect

Los Angeles Municipal Code § 80.33 DEFINITIONS.

SEC. 80.33. DEFINITIONS. The following words and phrases shall have the meanings set forth, and if any word or phrase used in this article is not defined in this section, it shall have the meanings set forth in the California Vehicle Code; provided that if any such word or phrase is not defined in the Vehicle Code, it shall have the meaning attributed to it in ordinary usage. (a) “Terminal” means any facility at which freight is consolidated to be shipped or where full-load consignments may be off-loaded, or at which the vehicle combinations are regularly maintained, stored, or manufactured. (b) “Interstate truck” means a combination of vehicles consisting of a truck tractor and semitrailer, or of a truck tractor, semitrailer, and trailer, with unlimited length as regulated by Vehicle Code, Sec. 35401.5. (c) “Caltrans” means the State of California Department of Transportation or its successor agency.

Los Angeles Municipal Code § 80.33.1 PURPOSE.

SEC. 80.33.1. PURPOSE. The purpose of this article is to establish procedures for terminal designation and truck route designation to terminals for interstate trucks operating on a federally designated highway system and to promote the general health, safety and welfare of the public.

Los Angeles Municipal Code § 80.33.2 APPLICATIONS.

SEC. 80.33.2. APPLICATIONS. (a) The owners or operators of a terminal requiring terminal access for interstate trucks from the federally designated highway system, which interstate trucks will utilize any City streets in traveling to, or from, such terminal, shall submit an application, on a form as provided by the City, and make payment of the fees as required by Section 80.33.3 of this Code. The application shall be filed with the Department. The application shall include the name and address of the applicant, the location of the terminal, the preferred route (and alternate routes if appropriate), evidence that the terminal, if located within the City, meets established criteria and that said terminal’s parking and entries are adequate and such other information as the Department may require. (b) Upon receipt of the application, the Department will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain whether or not the proposed terminal meets the requirements for an interstate truck terminal. Upon its approval of that designation, the Department will then determine the capability of the route requested and alternate routes, whether requested or not. Determination of route capability will include, without limitation, a review of adequate turning radius and lane widths of ramps, intersections, streets and highways and general traffic conditions such as sight distance, speed and traffic volumes. No access off a federally designated highway system will be approved without the approval of Caltrans. (c) Should the requested route pass through the City to a terminal located in another jurisdiction, the applicant, in addition to complying with Subsection (a) hereof, shall also comply with that jurisdiction’s application process. Coordination of the approval of the route through the City will be the responsibility of the entity which controls the terminal’s land use. Costs shall be as provided in Section 80.33.3 of this Code. (d) No interstate truck may leave a designated terminal access route in the City of Los Angeles except at an entrance to an authorized terminal.

Los Angeles Municipal Code § 80.33.3 FEES AND COSTS.

SEC. 80.33.3. FEES AND COSTS. (a) The applicant shall pay to the Department a non-refundable application fee of $250.00 per proposed terminal and/or its proposed access route(s). (b) Upon the approval of the terminal designation and route by the City and by Caltrans the applicant shall pay to the Department for the purchase and installation of terminal trailblazer signs and terminal identification signs, where required, at the rate of $75.00 per sign. Trailblazer signs will be required at every decision point in the City on route to the terminal. Terminal identification signs will be required at the entrance to the terminal. No terminal or route may be used until such signs, as may be required, are in place. Costs for trailblazer signs may be proportioned in accordance with the procedures in Section 80.33.4. (c) Upon approval of a terminal and/or its access route the terminal owner or its successor in interest will pay to the City an annual fee of $50.00 for each such terminal and/or access route, due on January first of each year.

Los Angeles Municipal Code § 80.33.4 MODIFICATIONS.

SEC. 80.33.4. MODIFICATIONS. (a) If all feasible routes to a requested terminal are found unsatisfactory by the Department the applicant shall be notified of the modifications necessary to eliminate a traffic hazard, as referred to in Sec. 80.33.5 herein or to protect existing facilities. The applicant may request the necessary modifications to make the route acceptable. All costs of engineering, construction and inspection will be the responsibility of the applicant. Except when the modification of deficiencies is within the jurisdiction of Caltrans, the actual construction will be done at no cost to the City by a contractor acceptable to it. (b) Modifications shall be limited to the reconstruction of curbed islands, curb returns and appurtenant structures; relocation of above-ground fixtures such as traffic signs, traffic signal standards, traffic signal controllers, street light standards and fire hydrants within the curb return area; and intersection approach markings together with traffic signal detection devices. Required modifications shall not include reconstruction of any pavement or street surface not related to the above. (c) When the work is done by the applicant, the applicant may file with the Department on a form satisfactory to the Department, a statement detailing the actual costs of the modification. It shall be the applicant’s responsibility to obtain all the necessary permits. (d) If at any time within five (5) years from the date of completion of the modification by the applicant, should any other applicant seek terminal approval which would use the route upon which such modification was accomplished, any such applicant’s fee may include that applicant’s proportionate share of the modification, as determined by the Department, which fee shall be disbursed by the Department to the applicant who paid for the modification as well as to any applicant who contributed to the cost of the modification under this subsection. Nothing herein shall require the payment of a proportionate fee if the applicant doing the work failed to file the report with the Department required by Subsection (b) above.

Los Angeles Municipal Code § 80.33.5 REVOCATION OF ROUTE.

SEC. 80.33.5. REVOCATION OF ROUTE. The Department may revoke any approved terminal, or route, if the terminal, or route, becomes a traffic hazard, which cannot be modified to the satisfaction of the Department, pursuant to Sec. 80.33.4, for vehicular traffic or if there is a failure to pay the fee provided for in Section 80.33.3 of this Code. A traffic hazard includes the inability of interstate trucks to negotiate the route or said vehicles causing unsafe traffic conditions for other vehicular traffic or pedestrians. If the Department should revoke any approved terminal, or route, it may, in its discretion, designate an alternate route.

Los Angeles Municipal Code § 80.33.6 APPEAL PROCESS.

SEC. 80.33.6. APPEAL PROCESS. (a) If the Department denies terminal designation, route feasibility or revokes a previously approved terminal or route, the applicant/terminal owner, within fifteen (15) working days following the date of receipt of the decision of the Department, may appeal said decision to the Board in writing. An appeal shall be made on a form prescribed by the Department and shall be filed with the Board. The appeal shall state specifically wherein there was an error or abuse of discretion by the Department or wherein its decision is not supported by the evidence in the record. Within fifteen (15) working days of the filing of an appeal, the Department shall transmit to the Secretary of the Board the terminal application, the sketches of the proposed or revoked route and all other data filed therewith, the report and decision of the Department on the application. (b) The Board shall make copies of the data provided by the Department available to the applicant and to the appellant (if the applicant is not the appellant) for inspection and may give notice to any other interested party who requested notice of the time when the appeal will be considered by the Board. (c) If Caltrans, and not the Department, denies, or revokes, terminal access from federally designated highways, no appeal may be made to the Board, but must be made to Caltrans as may be permitted by Caltrans.

Source: City of Los Angeles, Charter and Codes (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/los_angeles/latest/lamc/0-0-0-165733Fetched: 10/24/2026