Solution to Uncomfortable Dip in Road Is on the Level

Dear Street Smart: There is an annoying dip in the road at the intersection of Victoria Avenue and Hemlock Street in Oxnard.

When empty truck trailers hit this dip at maximum speeds, they create a rattling sound that can be heard for blocks.

Since this side of Victoria Avenue is scheduled to be resurfaced, the residents of Leeward Estates would appreciate a more level roadway at this intersection.

Jane E. Totten, Oxnard

Dear Reader:

Your request will be granted.

Oxnard transportation manager Samia Maximous confirms that there is indeed an uncomfortable dip at Victoria and Hemlock.

When the city resurfaces the road in late spring, Maximous says street workers will take special care to level out the dip.

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Dear Street Smart:

I’m concerned about bumps at the Pleasant Valley Road exit of the Ventura Freeway in Camarillo.

When you exit the freeway and turn right onto Pleasant Valley, there is a large concentration of relatively deep bumps that could easily throw a car off-track.

Who is responsible for this area, and can these bumps be removed?

Hal Madsen, Camarillo

Dear Reader:

The bumps are gone.

The city of Camarillo is in charge of maintaining Pleasant Valley Road. Last week, the city completed a repaving project that included smoothing out bumps on the roadway, says Tom Fox, city engineer.

Not only are the bumps gone, but the road is entirely repaved to Ridge View Street.

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Dear Street Smart:

There needs to be a stop sign installed on Lakeview Canyon Road at Falling Star Avenue in the North Ranch area of Thousand Oaks.

Drivers speed down Lakeview at breakneck rates and do not even look for cars turning left from Falling Star.

Also, there are no sidewalks on Lakeview or Falling Star, making it extremely dangerous for pedestrians.

Can stop signs be installed?

Julie Leap, Westlake Village

Dear Reader:

It is not likely that stop signs will be installed on Lakeview Canyon Road any time soon--and, if they were, they might make the intersection more dangerous.

It might seem to you like there’s a lot of traffic on Lakeview, but it’s not enough to meet state stop-sign standards, says Roy Myers, assistant traffic engineer for Thousand Oaks.

In addition, Myers says, installing stop signs to force motorists to slow down does not work, especially when there is no cross traffic.

“If a person is speeding and doesn’t see any cars on the side street, you’re lucky if they slow down at all,” Myers said. “If they do slow down, they are just going to try and make up the lost time when they start up again.”

Myers says the city has proven this theory at Calle Bouganvilla and Avenida de los Arboles.

Over a nine-year period when there were no stop signs at the intersection, there was one accident.

Six years ago, a stop sign was installed and, Myers says, as a direct result, the accident rate increased to about one a year.

And little can be done to address your concern for pedestrians who have no sidewalks to run to for safety when motorists zoom by.

Residents desiring to maintain the rural atmosphere of North Ranch have fought to keep sidewalks out of their neighborhood.

Unfortunately, a rural atmosphere does not prevent the existence of speeding cars.