More Time Allowed to Cross Street

Dear Traffic Talk:

There is a very dangerous crosswalk at Amestoy Avenue and Roscoe Boulevard in Van Nuys.

I am 84 years old and occasionally walk across the street. I carry a flag way up in the air and a cane. Still, it’s not enough, and I barely make it across the street.

I am really scared a car just might strike me. I would appreciate it if something could be done. So would my neighbors. We are all in our 80s.

--Yvonne Harris, Van Nuys

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Dear Yvonne:

You have four extra seconds to cross the street now, giving you more than 28 seconds to get across, said Ray Wellbaum, an engineer for the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.

To benefit from the extra timing, start crossing the street at the start of the signal change. That should give slower walkers enough time to get across, Wellbaum said.

“We try to provide as much walk time as we can in special circumstances and for our slower walkers,” Wellbaum said.

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Dear Traffic Talk:

Ever since I moved to Burbank about three years ago, I have been wondering what to do about a current and potential problem: the southbound onramp to the Golden State Freeway at Buena Vista Street.

I cannot understand how the obvious issue of commuter safety has been ignored. The onramp is uphill and very short in comparison to other level onramps and does not have a “bail out” area should there be a need to abort entering the freeway for safety reasons.

As a result, five times each week, I am forced to merge uphill onto one of the nation’s busiest freeways at speeds well below the speed of traffic, hoping not to get mowed down by an 18-wheeler.

The only quick fix for this problem is to blow through the light to keep the speed needed to merge safely. This is obviously not the right answer. Can anything be done?

--Brian Ewing, Burbank

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Dear Brian:

The city of Burbank initiated a project to improve access to the I-5, which will include new onramps and offramps, said Jeanne Bonsilio, a spokeswoman for Caltrans.

The new onramps should prevent vehicles from weaving past each other so dangerously as they enter and exit the freeway, she said.

However, there’s no word on how soon construction will start because funds are not yet available. Caltrans officials should know by the end of summer if funding for the project will be approved, Bonsilio said.

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Dear Traffic Talk:

Several months ago I reported that the lines on the San Diego Freeway needed re-striping, and shortly thereafter they were done.

Now I am asking your help in getting the Reagan Freeway lines redone. The problem exists from Simi Valley to the San Diego Freeway. It is especially difficult to see the dividing lines on the east side of the freeway. Thanks for your help.

--Carol Dondick, Northridge

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Dear Carol:

So far, re-striping along the 118 Freeway is scheduled for fiscal year 2000-2001, Bonsilio said.

There are no funds available for the re-striping this year, she said. A specific date has not been set.