Sunken Part of Freeway to Be Fixed Next Year

Dear Traffic Talk,

Caltrans was quick to repair the Hollywood Freeway where it sank due to tunneling, but why has it taken so long to repair the area that sank on the Ventura Freeway due to the Northridge earthquake?

Eastbound on the 101 freeway, the roadbed has dropped three to four inches surrounding the bridge over Woodman Avenue and the bridge over Fulton Avenue in Sherman Oaks.

Arlene Pater

Van Nuys

Dear Arlene,

That area of the freeway did indeed sink as a result of the Northridge earthquake, according to Caltrans engineers.

They called it “differential settlement.”

Unfortunately, that area is not scheduled for repair until the 1996-97 fiscal year, according to Pat Reid at Caltrans.

The fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30, so that means you and other San Fernando Valley drivers will be riding the freeway bumps for at least a few more months.

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Dear Traffic Talk,

On the onramp of the Ventura Freeway at Reseda going east, there are two lanes that say two people or more per car and another that says one per green. I want to know why all lanes can’t say one per green. The two people or more per car is always empty and the one that says one per green is always backed up to Burbank Boulevard at Reseda. It would help commuters if both lanes going east at Reseda onramp could be one car per green.

Frances Stanley

Tarzana

Dear Frances,

Much as Traffic Talk hates to be the bearer of bad news, here goes: The diamond--or carpool--lanes are not intended to ease commuters woes. They are meant to encourage car-pooling. So the chances of changing the two diamond lanes on the ramp to the much-beloved one per green are slim and none.

According to Caltrans’ Rick Holland, “The two different lanes serve two different purposes. The carpool lanes are to try to get everyone to carpool. The other lane--the one-per-green lane--is metered to regulate the amount of cars entering the freeway at one time so there won’t be any congestion.”

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Dear Traffic Talk,

In front of my building there is a red curb line where no one is allowed to park. This is adjacent to a ramp driveway that separates two buildings. When someone does park there, you cannot see the oncoming traffic which is heading north. I would like to have a [no parking] sign put up there.

Al Williams

North Hollywood

Dear Al,

Well, after talking to city transportation engineer Irwin Chodash, Traffic Talk has some good news and some bad news for you. First the bad news: no dice on the no-parking sign.

“A red curb, everyone is supposed to know that,” Chodash said. “If they have a driver’s license, they should know that red curb means no parking.”

But the straight-talking Chodash does offer this suggestion: Next time you see a vehicle parked in the red zone, call the Transportation Department’s parking enforcement division, (818) 756-8408. Sometimes a ticket is the best revenge.

Traffic Talk appears Fridays in The Times Valley Edition. Readers are invited to submit comments and questions about traffic in the Valley. Please write to Traffic Talk, Los Angeles Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth 91311. Include your full name, address and day and evening phone numbers. Letters may be edited, and no anonymous letters will be accepted. To record your comments, call (818) 772-3303. Fax letters to (818) 772-3385. E-mail questions to valley@latimes.com