On Wed., Nov. 15, a mother of two was killed in a traffic accident on rural Highway 118 west of Moorpark. This is one of many fatal accidents on an extremely dangerous roadway.

Compounding these dangers is a deeper problem: excessive truck use of this small rural road that leads into our community of Moorpark. These trucks are endangering our residents, creating noise and air pollution, and have obviously been the culprits in many accidents on this stretch of roadway, inclusive of this last fatality.

Our City Council seems to be impotent on this issue. Despite new city councilmen/ women using this very topic as their platform to gain a seat in office, we've seen no alleviation of this situation. How many Ventura County residents must die on this road? How many more truck vs. car "accidents" are we to tolerate? It takes a community to come together and say "enough." Caltrans, the city of Moorpark and the trucking companies should be held accountable. We should all demand a change.

I ask your readers today to begin this process by writing a simple letter or e-mail to Caltrans and to your city councilman/ woman now.

Send your Caltrans correspondence to: Caltrans Headquarters, Will Kempton, Director, 1120 North St., Sacramento, CA 94273, phone (916) 654-5266.

Or, CalTrans District 7, District Director Douglas R. Failing, 100 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.

Send e-mail correspondence to our mayor and City Council at moorpark@ci.moorpark.ca.us.

To create change, we all must do our part. One step at a time. One letter at a time. One vote at a time. Todd Overholt Moorpark

Editor's note: The jurisdiction over the 118 is under the purview of the state of California, not the city of Moorpark.