(Editor’s note: Tina Bourgeois became an advocate for highway safety after the death of her step-son Tristin, who died on October 31, 2024, when a semi pulling two trailers loaded with sand overturned and struck his pickup truck on Highway 74 above Palm Desert. In February of this year, she started a petition on Change.org to limit heavy truck traffic on the highway between 371 and the desert. Tina provided this update on the progress being made towards a safer highway.)
Those who drive the route regularly have shared many videos of trucks, sometimes pulling two trailers, endangering other motorists. Trucks use the steep and winding mountain road as a shortcut from San Diego County to desert destinations. The road was not constructed to bear heavy truck traffic, and last year, faced with increasing complaints about potholes, Caltrans did extensive repairs.
Lately Bourgeois says she has been noting progress in enforcement, additional CHP units from San Gorgonio stopping trucks and other motorists. These officers reinforce the three officers that cover the mountain plateau: Aguanga and Sage, Anza, Garner Valley, Pinyon, Idyllwild and Pine Cove, Poppet Flats. “A huge area.”
Bourgeois takes this a sign that the responsible agencies have taken notice. “I feel that we are working together. The community can feel greatly that we are getting help. It goes up from the officers to the commander who is bringing in more people to help, pulling these trucks and cars over.”
The effort of locals to document the danger that the truck pose has begun to pay off. “I sent this (video) to legislators because so many of us are terrified to take this route. We’ve invested in dash cams so we can safely take footage. It got into the right hands, people who can make this change.”
Bourgeois heard through Supervisor V Manuel Perez’ office that the videos have had an impact on people in a position to make these changes. In particular, she pointed to one video showing an Amazon truck narrowly escaping being hit by a semi that was using both lanes around a corner, which reached a CHP commander. “He had no idea the danger of these overloaded commercial trucks.”
Local state legislators are still at work in Sacramento. Bourgeois says the Caltrans study will be finished in January. Bourgeois shared that Perez, and State Representatives Greg Wallis and Jeff Gonzalez are trying to put together a community meet-and-greet to fill people in, where locals can share concerns and suggestions, for late January or early February, at the Anza Community Hall.
She expects that Legislators, and representatives of Cal Trans and CHP will all be there. She provided this statement her Tristin’s family:
“As a family that travels Highway 74 daily, we are deeply grateful for the CHP officers assigned to our mountain communities. We know they cover a vast area with limited staffing, yet they continue to stop unsafe vehicles, remove dangerous trucks from the road, and respond when people need help. At the same time, we remain committed to working with legislators to push for lasting safety changes so fewer families ever have to experience preventable loss.”
