Local Assemblymembers introduce bill to initiate safety study on Highway 74 and similar roads

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KESQ) – Assemblymembers Jeff Gonzalez (R-Indio) and Greg Wallis (R-Bermuda Dunes) introduced a bill that would initiate a comprehensive safety study of Highway 74 and similar roads throughout California.

AB 1145 will direct CalTrans to conduct a detailed study and submit an annual report to the Legislature with findings and safety recommendations. Specifically, the study will analyze:

• The number of fatal and non-fatal accidents over the past 10 years
• All 911 calls related to tire blowouts and road conditions
• Incidents involving semi-trucks and large commercial vehicles
• The number and type of citations issued for vehicle code violations on HWY 74 and similar roads throughout the state of California
• The number of injuries and fatalities occurring
• Data on brake failure or mechanical issues as contributing factors in accidents
• All of the following relating to enforcement facilities:
• The identification of transportation corridors used to bypass enforcement facilities
• The resulting dangers, hazards, poor conditions, and other consequences of the transportation corridors
• The identification of hot spots on the corridors

Officials said the legislation seeks to address long-standing concerns over large commercial trucks using Highway 74. The narrow, winding road which officials said was never engineered for high-volume or heavy-load traffic.

Residents report frequent potholes, road degradation and a rising number of traffic incidents.

“For those of us in the Coachella Valley and mountain communities, the dangers of HWY 74 are nothing new. The tragic death of Tristin Bourgeois is a painful reminder that we must act now. His life mattered and we owe it to him, his family, and every driver on this road to demand answers and real change. With AB 1145, we’re finally taking action: gathering the facts, identifying the risks, and pushing for true safety improvements. We can’t bring Tristin back, but we can honor his memory by making sure no other family endures the same heartbreak. It’s time to say: enough is enough.”

— Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez

“Highway 74 has claimed too many lives, and the loss of Tristin Bourgeois is a heartbreaking call to action. As representatives of the communities that rely on this road, Assemblyman Gonzalez and I are committed to ensuring it becomes safer for all who travel it. AB 1145, Tristin’s Bill, will provide the critical data we need to address the dangers of heavy truck traffic, poor road conditions, and inadequate enforcement. This is about saving lives and honoring Tristin’s memory with meaningful change.”

— Assemblymember Greg Wallis

The bill is named in memory of Tristin Bourgeois, a 27-year-old La Quinta resident who died in a crash with a big rig on Highway 74 near Vista Point in Palm Desert in Oct. 2024.