Confusing Reference in San Diego Freeway Sign to Be Removed

Dear Street Smart:

When we first arrived in California, signs on this state’s freeways were useful, helpful and logical. Today, nearly two decades later, we see some of the most illogical, if not downright stupid, signs--signs that mislead and confuse anyone who isn’t familiar with the area.

For example, on the northbound San Diego Freeway nearing Beach Boulevard, there is a sign that says “Beach Boulevard, Westminster, XXX miles.” This leads one to believe that the off-ramp leads in only one direction, Westminster, and that perhaps there is another off-ramp to go the opposite way.

However, once you get on the off-ramp, you see another sign that says that there are really two ways to get onto Beach, one northbound to Westminster and one southbound to Huntington Beach.

The solution to this illogical signing is to remove the word “Westminster” from the first sign. In other words, it should read just “Beach Boulevard, XXX miles.”

C.G. Lauderdale

Villa Park

After reviewing the signs on the northbound San Diego Freeway approaching Beach Boulevard, Caltrans engineers agree with you that the sign “Beach Boulevard, Westminster, XXX miles” might be confusing, said Rose Orem, a Caltrans spokeswoman.

Caltrans’ maintenance branch has been asked to remove the name “Westminster” from the sign located in the median, Orem said.

Dear Street Smart:

I travel on the San Diego Freeway from Irvine to Carson every day for work. Just last week I started ride sharing.

The question I have is how come the car-pool lane stops at the Los Angeles County border? Are there plans to continue it to Long Beach? I think more people would car pool if the lane was extended through the Long Beach area.

Steve Smithling

Irvine

Caltrans is in the final planning stages on two projects that will extend the car-pool lanes on the San Diego Freeway from the Orange County line to the Harbor Freeway, said Joe Shaw, a Caltrans spokesman in Los Angeles. Final plans for both projects will be completed by July, Shaw said.

Construction on the first project, from the Orange County line to the Long Beach Freeway, pending funding by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, would begin in 1995, Shaw said. The second project, from the Long Beach Freeway to the Harbor Freeway, if funded, would be constructed at the same time, he said.

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During April, the Orange County Transportation Authority is inviting the public to call in with suggestions for improving the bus system in Orange County.

The bus system has changed little in 12 years, though Orange County’s population has increased dramatically and bus ridership has soared.

The public can call OCTA Customer Relations at (714) 560-5700 to offer their opinions.

Suggestions will be collected by telephone, survey, through the mail and in focus groups. A consulting firm will integrate the suggestions into a plan to improve the system. The study is expected to be completed in the fall.

After receiving the report, the OCTA Board of Directors will decide on improvements. The public can expect to see the improvements by summer, 1995.