Caltrans Has Several Ways to Alert Drivers

Dear Traffic Talk:

My question is about the retrofitting work being done on the San Diego Freeway at the Manchester Avenue onramp. The detour involves going to La Tijera Boulevard to get on the freeway.

Why won’t Caltrans reveal the dates the onramp will be closed?

I’ve called several times to find out and one time someone hung up on me.

Why is it such top secret?

Howard Cohen

North Hills

Dear Howard:

In addition to information regarding this particular location, Caltrans provides various methods that commuters can use to stay abreast of road conditions.

Work to retrofit the San Diego Freeway undercrossing at Manchester Avenue started at the end of October, said Pat Reid, a spokeswoman for the agency.

She said that at the beginning of the project the agency posted signs at the site indicating that ramps would be closed intermittently.

As the project continues, the north and southbound onramps are subject to closure Monday through Friday from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. the following morning, Reid said. At times, the work also requires that the agency close the ramps on Saturdays from 8 p.m. until Sunday 8 a.m.

Also, the northbound Manchester/La Cienega Boulevard collector road offramp is subject to closure weeknights beginning at 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. the following day.

However, Reid said the ramps will not be closed three hours before and two hours after any special event held a the Great Western Forum or Hollywood Park Race Track.

This $1.4-million job is expected to end by mid April.

Caltrans uses several methods to inform commuters regarding its operations throughout Southern California, Reid said.

For example, engineers at the Caltrans Traffic Management Center regularly issue detailed information regarding all maintenance and construction-related road closures to traffic reporters, including radio and television broadcasters.

Also, the agency’s information officers put out news releases with road closure information to newspapers and other media.

In addition to reading local newspapers, motorists should listen to TV and radio broadcasts, particularly peak-hour traffic reports, Reid said.

An alternative method includes Caltrans’ 2-year-old, free-of-charge program that provides information via the Internet.

This may be accessed by using the World Wide Web at https://www.scubed.comm/caltrans/la/la-small-map.shtml

For more information about freeways or state routes, commuters may call the agency’s Public Affairs office at (213) 897-3656 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, Reid said.

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Dear Traffic Talk:

To what point is the distance on highways measured when signs say, for instance, Los Angeles, 45 miles?

Daniel Dinell

Studio City

Dear Daniel:

Generally, distances are measured to the town’s most dominant building, such as its post office or civic center, according to Reid, a Caltrans spokeswoman. The same is true for elevation listings.

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