There’s Reason for Flaw in Refurbished Stretch of Coast Highway

Dear Street Smart:

Recently, a portion of Coast Highway from Dana Point to south Laguna Beach was resurfaced and re-striped. Having lived in this area for more than 20 years, this was the first time I can recall this entire stretch ever being “in one piece” all at one time.

What seems strange is that right in the middle of this stretch of beautiful new pavement is the section between 9th Avenue and Vista del Sol in Laguna Beach. This section has not been touched or repaired despite several bumps, ruts, holes and very old striping. The rest of the job appears to have been wrapped up more than a month ago, but it appears this half-mile stretch is being ignored. Can you tell us why the beautiful job Caltrans did on the highway is being flawed by overlooking this one heavily traveled section of Coast Highway?

Douglas W. Raquet, Dana Point

The unfinished section of the two-mile project area you are talking about actually runs from 10th Avenue to Vista del Sol.

Crews worked on this two-mile stretch of Coast Highway for about six weeks at a cost of $212,000, said Steve Saville, a Caltrans spokesman. Construction crews had to grind down the old pavement, replace it with inch-thick asphalt concrete overlay and then replace the pavement markers and road striping.

A portion of that project was left untouched because the South Coast Water District plans to relocate a water main in that area at the end of the year. Rather than resurface the road now and have to dig it up later, Caltrans decided to hold off on refurbishing that section until the water main is in place, Saville said.

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Dear Street Smart:

Someone was on a radio talk show giving out a 900 number that you could call to report the license and description of a vehicle operating in an unsafe manner. That information in turn would be turned over to the insurance companies, who, with repeated reports on the same vehicle, could adjust insurance rates accordingly. It made a lot of sense, but I suppose someone in the legal profession found a “flaw” in the system, and whoever was promoting the 900 number was forced to cancel it. I would think the insurance companies would welcome such a reporting system. Have you heard of this program?

Dwight Gick, Newport Beach

The California Highway Patrol, state Department of Motor Vehicles and Western Insurance Information Services have not heard of a 900 number being used to report traffic scofflaws. The CHP encourages motorists to report erratic driving behavior, but complications arise if insurance companies are involved.

Mary Crystal, communications director for Western Insurance Information Services, said it would be impossible to track down a person’s insurance company through a license plate number. Also, such a system would not work with motorists who are uninsured or who are insured out of state, she said.

“There are just too many factors that would make insurance companies impotent when it comes to handling that,” Crystal said.

Motorists who spot unsafe driving do have options. One is as simple as a phone call, the other requires a little more commitment.

Motorists with cellular phones can call their local CHP office to report traffic violations in progress and other roadway hazards. Supply the CHP with the license plate number and a description of the vehicle and they, in turn, will contact one of their dispatchers or the appropriate law enforcement agency for a response. The CHP logs in thousands of calls each month by this “cellular patrol.”

Another possibility is to call the toll-free number established by SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. and request a “spotter form,” which enables a person to give detailed information about a moving violation. The completed form is submitted to the California DMV and they will trace the owner of the vehicle and mail them a letter bringing to their attention the unsafe driving behavior that was witnessed.

SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. is a national nonprofit organization primarily interested in the safety of children, but their “spotter forms” can be used for any suspected infraction of traffic laws. People requesting these forms need to give their name and address so a form can be sent to them, but the DMV does not use a witness’s name when mailing out a letter.

The toll-free phone number for SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. is (800) 745-SAFE.