UPDATE: Solons Aim to Investigate Hwy 74 Safety Risks

UPDATE: Assemblymembers Jeff Gonzalez and Greg Wallis Introduce AB 1145 – Tristin’s Bill – to Investigate Safety Risks on HWY 74 and Similar Roads

SACRAMENTO —Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez, R-Indio, announced Monday that Assembly Bill 1145, also known as Tristin’s Bill, has passed out of the Assembly Transportation Committee with bipartisan support. This milestone moves the bill one step closer to becoming law and bringing much-needed safety oversight to dangerous mountain highways like California’s Highway 74.

“Highway 74 was never built for the kind of heavy truck traffic it now endures daily. Tristin’s Bill is about saving lives. I want to thank the members of the Transportation Committee for recognizing the urgency of this issue and moving this bill forward. Together, we are taking the first step toward real solutions for communities that have waited far too long for safety and accountability on our roads,” Gonzalez said in a statement.

Named in honor of Tristin Bourgeois, a beloved Anza native who tragically lost his life on Highway 74 at just 27 years old, AB 1145 directs Caltrans to conduct a comprehensive safety study of Highway 74 and similar roads across the state. The legislation aims to address serious concerns surrounding semi-truck traffic, hazardous road conditions, and enforcement gaps that have plagued similar corridors for years.

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ORIGINAL STORY

Assemblymembers Jeff Gonzalez, R-Indio, and Assemblymember Greg Wallis R-Bermuda Dunes, have introduced AB 1145, also known as Tristin’s Bill, a piece of legislation that will initiate a comprehensive safety study of Highway 74 and similar roads throughout California.

Highway 74 a narrow mountain highway that has become increasingly dangerous due to heavy semi-truck traffic and worsening road conditions. The legislation is named in memory of Tristin Bourgeois, a beloved father, son, husband and native of Anza who tragically lost his life on HWY 74 at the age of 27.

Bourgeois, 27, of La Quinta, was pronounced dead at the scene of a three-vehicle collision on Highway 74 near Vista Point in Palm Desert on Oct. 31, 2024, according to a news release from the California Highway Patrol at the time. CHP reported that around 7:40 a.m., a big rig traveling “downbound” lost control and overturned, colliding with Bourgeois’s Chevrolet Silverado. Bourgeois was pronounced dead at the scene. No other individuals were reported injured in the incident.

“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,” Gonzalez said in a statement. “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.”—

“Highway74 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 said in a statement.

“Our family wants the public to understand how deeply this study of Highway 74 means to us. We are speaking out in hopes of saving lives and sparing other families from experiencing the kind of unimaginable loss we have endured.

This is personal for us—our surviving child still drives that same road every day, as does Tristin’s daughter. It’s a daily reminder of the risk that remains. The time for change is now. We believe that if this legislation had been introduced and safety improvements made years ago, Tristin would still be with us today.

Tristin was a vibrant, joyful, and hardworking young man with a promising future. He deserved so much more than what happened to him. We’re committed to making sure his story leads to real change.” the couple said in a statement.

AB 1145 – Tristin’s Bill 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

This legislation seeks to address long-standing concerns over large commercial trucks using HWY 74 —a narrow, winding road that was never engineered for high-volume or heavy-load traffic. Residents report frequent potholes, road degradation and a rising number of traffic incidents.

Gonzalez represents Imperial County and portions of Riverside and San Bernardino County in the California Legislature. District 36 includes Anza, Blythe, Brawley, Calexico, Coachella, El Centro, Hemet, Holtville, Imperial, Indio, Mecca, Salton City, Thermal, Westmorland, Winchester, and Winterhaven.