Shipping delays have been mounting and cargo has been piling up at California ports. Tens of thousands of containers are stuck at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in California, which move more than a quarter of all American imports, according to The Wall Street Journal, which noted last month that dozens of ships are lined up to dock with waiting times stretching to three weeks.
Due to the overflow at ports, containers are now finding their way to residential streets.
Valerie Contreras, a board member of the Wilmington, California, Neighborhood Council, told “Fox & Friends First” Thursday that the dangerous situation can’t continue.
“The shipping industry is spilling over into our community and we cannot sustain it any longer,” Contreras said.
“We have had these truckers going through our community. Our residential streets are backed up and we cannot handle the overflow of what’s happening at the port. And it’s quite dangerous.”
One car was photographed being crushed by a container in the harbor area of Los Angeles.
“This particular container of the driver pulled around the corner,” Contreras said. “It disconnected from his fifth wheel and fell completely and crushed this car.”
Along with vehicles being damaged, residents have had difficulty driving and living comfortably.
“We have had these issues for quite a long time now, but it’s to the point where the residents cannot even get in and out of their driveways and imagine it’s running 24-7,” Contreras said.
“So they can actually feel the vibrations as these trucks are lined up going to and from these storage yards.”
According to Contreras, some residents have taken matters into their own hands.
“They put barricades on their streets, they put big signs that say ‘no trucks’ to discourage them from coming down.”
Contreras remains positive that local leaders will find a solution to the storage problem but questioned if individuals transporting these containers are qualified enough.
“It makes me kind of wonder when I see this picture of this truck turned over,” Contreras said.
“Are they getting certified drivers to haul these containers because they’re in a panic to move quickly and put our lives at risk?”
Source: Fox News