A Ticklish Route From Disneyland

Dear Street Smart:

For years there has been a major problem experienced by Disneyland visitors who wish to go north on the Santa Ana Freeway.

After exiting the park and proceeding north on West Street, they must turn right onto Ball Road, then work their way over to the left-hand lanes so that, once they’ve crossed the freeway, they can make a left turn across the westbound lanes and onto the freeway entrance.

Caltrans is building a new bridge where Ball Road crosses the freeway. It is my understanding that when this new bridge is completed, Disneyland visitors will still have to work their way over to the left lanes on this new bridge so they can make a left turn across traffic on Ball Road to reach the freeway entrance.

Why would anyone spend millions of dollars on a new bridge without making provision to safely handle the many cars traveling east on Ball Road that would like to enter the northbound Santa Ana Freeway?

Richard C. Martin

Anaheim

That freeway entrance is a doozy, the kind that makes motorists wish they were safely back on the Autopia in the Magic Kingdom.

But officials at Caltrans have a ready explanation for why they won’t be eliminating the troublesome left turn on Ball Road.

Given their druthers, the agency’s highway engineers admit they would like to install a cloverleaf-type freeway entrance that would siphon eastbound traffic off Ball Road’s right-hand lane and swing it on a curving strip of asphalt down onto the northbound Santa Ana Freeway. No muss, no fuss and no left-hand turn.

Unfortunately, the land needed for such a serpentine freeway ramp is occupied by a motel. Caltrans officials say the agency cannot justify purchasing the property and removing the motel just for a new freeway ramp.

Instead, they plan to do the next best thing. As part of the bridge construction, Caltrans will erect a new left-turn signal and add an extra left-turn lane off Ball Road onto the northbound Santa Ana Freeway.

It is hoped that the new turn lanes and traffic light, which will be synchronized with signals on nearby Harbor Boulevard, will help all those Mouseketeer groupies and Tinkerbell fans get onto the freeway a whole lot easier.

Dear Street Smart:

Like everyone in the Los Angeles Basin, I have become increasingly concerned with our traffic problems. The only solutions I see being offered appear to involve large sums of money and long-term projects.

The solution is to reduce the number of vehicles on the road. The obvious answer is car-pooling. Unfortunately, most people give up on the idea because of the hassles involved in coordinating everyone.

I would like to see local newspapers run advertising at no charge to commuters listing where people live and work, using the coordinates from a Thomas Brothers map book. This would provide a quick reference for people who live and work near one another and who have similar work schedules to form a car pool.

Many large companies use a similar system for their employees. I am suggesting that this could be tried on an areawide basis.

Much has been written about the number of single-driver vehicles on the freeways. I think this plan could be a very logical way to reduce that number and speed up traffic on our freeway system, and it could be done with the least cost to the taxpayer.

Thomas C. Moore

Orange

It’s nice to see someone thinking about promoting car-pooling, which many transportation experts say is an important weapon in the battle to ease traffic congestion in the region.

Those same experts, however, say that putting together such a commuter bulletin board in local newspapers might prove ineffective, since many residents are squeamish about public listings of their addresses and phone numbers.

Also, there is already a program to serve this purpose. It is called Commuter Computer, and it offers motorists information about others who live and work near them in an effort to encourage the formation of car pools.

Those interested can call Commuter Computer at (714) 636-RIDE for information on car pools, van pools and the nearest park-and-ride lot.

A very valid point. Seat belts save lives. Just ask any CHP officer or ambulance driver. Street Smart encourages motorists to use them, even if they sometime wrinkle your tie or blouse.