Crash Cleanup Bills Sent to Vehicle Owners

Dear Traffic Talk:

I am curious about the expenses involved with freeway accidents.

For example, when a truck loaded with salad oil recently overturned and extensive cleanup work was necessary before the lanes could be reopened, who picked up the bill?

Shelley Smith

Granada Hills

Dear Shelley:

The cleanup bills for such accidents are covered by private parties or business corporations, Caltrans said.

When spills happen on the freeways, Caltrans officials add up the cost to clean the site, said Pat Reid, a spokeswoman for the agency.

The workers do damage reports that sum up the manpower called to the scene, how much time it takes to clean up and even how many Caltrans trucks and other equipment isused, she said.

The agency then sends a bill to the registered owner of the private vehicle or to the corporation if a commercial vehicle was involved.

Dear Traffic Talk:

I take the Ronald Reagan Freeway going west and get off at De Soto Avenue, then turn left to go south.

I come down De Soto, and at Rinaldi Street they put in a stoplight.

Rinaldi going west is a dirt road nobody uses. It goes about 200 feet and dead-ends.

At first the light worked, but now it is always green.

I would like to know why it is there.

John Stacey

Chatsworth

Dear John:

The light was put there mainly as a condition of the Porter Ranch development project, according to the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.

The condition required that a light be placed there to control traffic associated with the project--particularly if more development occurs in that area, said Brian Gallagher, a transportation engineer with the department.

The light was also installed to help equestrian traffic in the area get around safely with motor vehicles, Gallagher said.

The light pole has horse-height buttons that riders can press to activate the walk signal, he said.

Dear Traffic Talk:

We wish to draw your attention to an extremely hazardous traffic situation at the entrance to the Ventura Freeway on the southbound Valley Circle Boulevard overpass.

There are no lights when a person is trying to enter the southbound Ventura Freeway at that point.

However, there is a constant flow of traffic coming toward you from three different directions causing severe congestion and a downright life hazard.

Nora Meerbaum

Woodland Hills

Dear Nora:

There are two entrances to the southbound Ventura Freeway at Valley Circle Boulevard, according to authorities.

Traffic coming south on the boulevard should stay in the right lane and turn right onto Calabasas Road to use the entrance on the right, said Gallagher of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.

He said Caltrans has installed raised delineators on the bridge to prevent left-hand turns there for southbound traffic.

That entrance is meant to be used by Valley Circle northbound traffic, he said.

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