Ramp Meter an On-Again, Off-Again Issue

Dear Traffic Talk:

Until very recently, the traffic meter on the westbound onramp to the Ventura Freeway at Balboa Boulevard in Encino did not operate in the afternoon. This allowed traffic to flow freely onto the freeway without slowing westbound traffic much.

Now, however, the meter on the onramp is on, causing traffic to back up on northbound Balboa Boulevard.

Aaron Levinson

Woodland Hills

Dear Aaron:

Caltrans engineers are currently evaluating the traffic flow at that location to determine if any measures should be taken to alleviate traffic backups, according to authorities.

The meter itself has been on and off at different times during the last few months between repairs, said Pat Reid, a Caltrans spokeswoman.

The meter originally went black June 9. It was repaired by the end of July, but it went out of order again a few days later because of electrical malfunctions.

The meter was fixed again at the end of August, and that’s apparently when the traffic backups on Balboa began, Reid said.

To help ease the problem, engineers on Sept. 10 changed the meter cycle from 16 vehicles per minute to 24 vehicles per minute--or two cars per green light.

According to engineers, currently there is a traffic backup during the afternoon rush hour, but the delay is less severe during the morning commute.

Engineers will determine if additional steps are needed to alleviate congestion there, Reid said.

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Dear Traffic Talk:

This letter is in regard to a street that I travel as often as three times a day. The stretch to which I am referring is on Oxnard Street between Shoup Avenue and Topanga Canyon Boulevard.

Actually, repairs all the way from Fallbrook Avenue to Topanga Canyon would be a big assist. The street in this area is rough, potted and cracked.

Max Santer

Woodland Hills

Dear Max:

According to city engineers, there are plans to repair Oxnard Street in that area.

Those plans include temporary asphalt repairs, which should be completed by mid-October, said Richard Evans, an engineer with city’s West Valley Bureau of Maintenance.

Oxnard has base defects from Shoup to Fallbrook, officials said. Additional work to fix those problems is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, Evans said.

Also, the section of Oxnard from Topanga Canyon to Shoup has been evaluated for possible inclusion in the bureau’s 1998-99 annual resurfacing program, Evans said. However, even if the street is recommended, it does not necessarily mean it will be selected for work.

The resurfacing program is formulated on a citywide basis from data provided by the bureaus of engineering and street maintenance and the Standards Section of the Department of General Services.

The streets submitted for consideration are rated and selected according to such factors as age, pavement defects, drainage, traffic counts, soil samples and riding quality.

Often, the number of projects carried out is limited by available funding, Evans said.

Streets recommended but not included in the repair list for lack of funds are reconsidered the following year, Evans said.

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