Truckers

Fremont

Confusing restrictions.

The Bay Area has many towns and areas 'blocked off' by strict No Truck signs. In order to serve those areas, truckers such as myself must violate those signs every day.

A huge section of southern Fremont, with dozens of warehouses along Warm Springs Blvd., Grimmer Blvd., etc., is one such area.

Warm Springs Bl. north, at Scott Creek Road.

Westbound on S. Grimmer.

Every single access to this southern warehouse district is 'blocked' by strict old Weight Limit signs. Hundreds of truckers violate them on a daily basis.

In 2007, the city added two signs (photos coming soon) along east and westbound Mission Blvd., saying (something like) "Trucks Okay on Warm Springs." This 'covers' access from the north, but there's no such sign at the south end of that warehouse district.
The small map below shows the location of my pictures, and of those new signs.
Don't exit 680 at Scott Creek! It's a short hop to many local destinations, but the Fremont Police ticket shortcutting truckers, along there.

The NUMMI car plant is a major destination for truckers. There is major road construction in the area, and the access route keeps shifting. Better get current directions (currently it's via Warren Ave. off of 880), and pay close attention to their 'detour style' road signs.

Ever since 2000 it's been illegal to cut across, between 880 and 680, on Auto Mall Parkway. In 2010 the Fremont police began enforcement checkpoints along So. Grimmer Blvd, issuing big tickets (even moving violations) for 'off truck route' offenses. Apparently, trucks are forbidden to access that entire area via Auto Mall then Grimmer, but must go in and out via So. Fremont Blvd., a couple of miles away.
The crunch is the presence of the CHP's northbound Nimitz Scales, which some truckers attempt to go around. Better have your destination paperwork handy, and never mind that Fremont Blvd. is not marked as a truck route either!

Meanwhile, at the northwest end of town:
If you are heading toward the Dumbarton Bridge, stay on the 84 freeway. If accessing businesses nearby, stick to Ardenwood Road and Kaiser (on the north side) and Thornton and Gateway (on the south side) -- and watch the signs. The Fremont Police have ticketed truckers for 'shortcutting' on Paseo Padre, though there is no obvious reason trucks should not use it.

Confused yet? Here is an official city map of their truck routes, as currently shown (with a PDF file) on their web site.
(Notice that Warm Springs Blvd. and So. Fremont Blvd. are not so designated.)

Top of Page