Solo Drivers Urged to Try Alternatives for One Week

Dear Readers:

It’s that time of year again--California Rideshare Week. Transportation agencies throughout the state are involved in the big publicity drive to get people thinking about sharing a ride or using some alternative to solo driving.

Efforts are particularly focused toward getting people to give up their cars this Thursday, which is “Keep California Moving” day.

On the same day last year, drivers who car-pooled, van-pooled, bicycled, walked, took the bus, took the train or did something other than drive alone are credited with increasing the speed of traffic on two Orange County freeways. The average speed on the Costa Mesa Freeway rose 8 m.p.h. On the Santa Ana Freeway, speed rose 5 m.p.h.

In addition, calls about ride-sharing in Orange County rose 53% during last year’s ride-share week. Statewide, only Solano County, where calls doubled, saw a bigger increase.

If you’ve been thinking about abandoning the solo drive, then California Rideshare Week is your grand opportunity. Contact OCTA at (714) 636-RIDE.

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Dear Street Smart:

Caltrans had stated in the past that after the car-pool lanes were completed on the Orange Freeway, the “Horseshoe” freeway ramp from the eastbound Garden Grove Freeway to the northbound Orange Freeway would be widened to two lanes. When can we expect to see the start and completion of this work?

Richard A. Rotondo, Fountain Valley

Caltrans says that work will begin this fall for about three months to expand that ramp. The widening to two lanes is only an interim fix to problems on that busy ramp. Caltrans intends to make permanent changes sometime after work on the Santa Ana-Garden Grove-Orange freeways interchange there finishes in 1996. Still, interim or not, this fix is one that several Street Smart readers had hoped for in the past. This year, their wishes come true.

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Dear Street Smart:

There is no street sign at the intersection of Stonehill Drive and Camino Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano. Any idea when one will be installed? Visitors must guess where to turn when they come to our home.

Robert J. McAndrews, Dana Point

A sign is on order and should be up in a week or two, according to Greg Marquard of San Juan Capistrano’s maintenance department.

Originally, the county planned to install an illuminated sign in July, when Stonehill was extended over San Juan Creek to intersect with Camino Capistrano. San Juan Capistrano preferred an unlighted sign, which meant that it had to order and install the sign itself, Marquard said. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until recently that the city realized the sign had never been installed. Hang in there--soon your friends should be able to find their way to your home.