Aug. 19, 2008 — Almost a year after a commercial truck crashed into the backside of the Nevada Arms Apartments, a barrier wall has been constructed on Highway 36 in Uptown Susanville. Last week, Miller’s Custom Works Inc installed a galvanized steel barrier wall, which stretches from Roop Street and curves around Highway 36. Caltrans oversaw the project. Barrier Systems Inc. supplied the wall and according to Barrier Systems National Product Manager Sam Arnold, the wall is designed to smoothly redirect vehicles back into the line of traffic upon impact, with less occupant risk.

The wall is more crash-friendly as opposed to a temporary concrete barrier because Arnold said if a vehicle were to hit a concrete wall, it could flip over the barrier and into oncoming traffic.

“(The wall) is a wonderful progressive project for Caltrans and the residents of Susanville,” Arnold said.

He said a barrier wall stopped a double trailer truck from going into oncoming traffic on Interstate 5 near Redding.

Barrier Systems Inc. is the United States licensee of the barrier guard for Highway Care in England.

With the construction of the barrier wall, the westbound lane on Highway 36 has become a one-lane road and has eliminated the ability for drivers to turn left onto Main Street from Pine Street.

Making the town hill grade safer has been a long-time discussion for the Lassen County Transportation Commission, but became a more urgent topic last year after a 1998 Kenworth commercial truck carrying two trailers of gravel down Highway 36 toward Uptown Susanville slammed into the backside of the Nevada Arms Apartments on Tuesday, Sept. 11.

The wall is one of several temporary solutions. A mandatory 35 mile per hour speed limit has also been put in place for trucks at the top of the grade.

Other ideas include a relief route to redirect truck from having to drive through town.