Caltrans Wants to Keep Exit Signs Simple

On the southbound Hollywood Freeway, two signs indicate the exit to Oxnard Street. This exit actually ends on Laurel Canyon Boulevard (southbound). Motorists not familiar with these streets and wanting to exit on Laurel Canyon Boulevard, which is a main thoroughfare, may miss it completely.

The addition of the words, “Laurel Canyon Boulevard south” to the above-mentioned two signs would help the motorists.

Larry Vadasz

Studio City

Dear Larry:

Russell Snyder, spokesman for Caltrans, said that you have a good idea but that there are problems involved in changing the sign. To avoid confusion, Caltrans wants the same signs for northbound and southbound traffic. In this case, Caltrans cannot add Laurel Canyon to the northbound sign because northbound motorists exiting on Oxnard cannot easily get to Laurel Canyon.

Also, Snyder said, Caltrans prefers to put one street name on the sign to facilitate easy reading by fast-moving highway motorists.

Dear Traffic Talk:

Until recently, northbound traffic on Firmament Avenue at Sherman Way in Van Nuys enjoyed the luxury of turning east, west or going straight to enter the northbound San Diego Freeway. For those of us working in offices south of Sherman Way and west of Sepulveda Boulevard, this was a convenient way to get on the freeway after work. Why did the city decide to post signs that now allow only left or right turns?

Dennis J. Graham

North Hills

Dear Dennis:

City Councilman Marvin Braude, at the urging of area residents, asked the city Department of Transportation to prohibit going straight ahead at that intersection. According to city transportation engineer Erwin Chodash, neighbors objected to drivers using Firmament, a residential street, rather than Haskell Avenue as a way to the freeway.

Dear Traffic Talk:

In a story Oct. 13, Richard Simon suggested gaining eye contact with other drivers when you need to convey a message. But often, I can’t see the driver because he or she is driving a car with dark-tinted windows. Dark windows are a real hazard that needs to be addressed.

The Department of Motor Vehicles, law enforcement and insurance companies are blind to the fact that tinted windows are increasing in numbers. Side and rear windows are important for the visibility of other drivers, if not to the owners of the cars who have dark windows. And now, even front windows are impossibly dark. What can be done?

Nancy Cable

Woodland Hills

Dear Nancy:

According to California Highway Patrol spokesman Pablo Torres, a car that has any sort of tint on the front windshield or front side windows is in violation of the California Vehicle Code. Torres said that CHP officers also don’t like the darkened rear windows because they hinder officers’ visibility when they pull over errant motorists.

The only way the code can be changed to affect all windows is through legislation, Torres said. You may want to talk to your state representative about this.