Lane Markers Lose Luster Where the Freeways Intersect

Dear Street Smart:

There’s a potential hazard on the Ventura Freeway that could easily be fixed.

Driving west in Ventura where the 126 (Santa Paula) Freeway intersects with the 101, there is no clear mark or line dividing the right-hand lane from the lane for traffic coming off the 126.

This creates confusion so that sometimes, especially at night, drivers in the left lanes drift over into the lane for the 126 traffic.

Has anybody else noticed this problem, and is somebody planning to do something about it?

Jean Tepperman, Ventura

Dear Reader:

You are not alone.

Dave Servaes, state Department of Transportation maintenance supervisor, says he, too, has noticed the lack of clear lane markers where the Ventura and Santa Paula freeways intersect.

The problem, he says, is that where two highways meet, there is bound to be a lot of lane changing as motorists move from the merging highway onto the main one.

It doesn’t take long for motorists to unwittingly destroy the reflective ceramic disks marking the lanes.

Servaes says he’s put in a request for the Caltrans pavement crew to replace the cracked disks. And he’s also suggested that they try using a new thermoplastic paint that seems to stay on a little better.

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Dear Street Smart:

What’s the deal with the truck scales on California 118 between Moorpark and Somis?

It seems like the turnouts and signs have been in place for at least 10 years, but there has never been any weighing activity going on.

Is there any plan to ever start using the scales?

David S. Weinstein, Moorpark

Dear Reader:

The scales are used, although sporadically, California Highway Patrol Sgt. Terry Carroll says.

The reason they are not used more often? Money.

The Highway Patrol can’t afford to keep a full-time, four-member weighing staff at the site, Carroll says.

So most of the time, the weigh station on California 118 is used as an inspection site.

Officers check trucks daily for faulty brakes, cracked springs and defective tires, finding violations about 33% of the time, Carroll says.

About once a month, four Mobile Road Enforcement officers bring out the scales for a day of full-blown weighing and inspections.

The main truck weighing and inspection station is at the top of the Conejo Grade, which is where the Highway Patrol concentrates more resources.

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Dear Street Smart:

Every week, I witness (and experience) near-collisions on Lynn Road and Hillcrest Drive in Thousand Oaks because of a minor striping problem.

Southbound cars on Lynn Road waiting in the left-most of three straight-ahead lanes frequently drift to the right on the other side of the intersection because the striping does not line up.

The reason for this is that Lynn Road curves slightly after the intersection, and the striping does not fully compensate for this.

A simple solution would be to extend the striping of the southbound lanes farther into the intersection with a little more curve in them, so that they align properly with the lanes entering the intersection.

Is this possible?

Stephen E. Jones, Thousand Oaks

Dear Reader:

“Cat tracks” could solve the problem, says John Clement, Thousand Oaks public works chief.

That’s what he calls the round ceramic tiles that dot some intersections, guiding motorists into the proper lanes.

Striping through the intersection would not be a good idea, he said, because some lines would overlap and cause confusion.

Clement has wrestled with the crookedness problem at the Lynn Road-Hillcrest Drive intersection before and hopes that installing cat tracks will solve the problem once and for all.

DISABILITIES ACT UPDATE

The transportation needs of disabled Simi Valley residents will be discussed at a workshop at City Hall from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

Dial-a-Ride transportation to the workshop is available if arranged 24 hours in advance. For information, call 527-2441.