Signs Take Blind Faith Out of Turn

Dear Traffic Talk:

Why do posted signs make it illegal to turn right (north) on a red light at the end of the Tampa Avenue offramp of the eastbound Ronald Reagan Freeway?

Jason Rubel

Northridge

Dear Jason:

Motorists are not allowed to turn right on a red light because they can’t easily see vehicles approaching on Tampa, said Presley Burroughs, a Caltrans spokesman.

“That’s why we stop traffic on Tampa, so drivers can make the right turn safely only when the light is green,” he said.

Dear Traffic Talk:

I commute to work from Woodland Hills to Encino by Ventura Boulevard. From 6 to 9 a.m. the curb lane is a tow-away zone, providing three lanes of eastbound traffic. Frequently, there are cars parked in this lane in front of a Starbucks (near Reseda Boulevard) and this slows traffic considerably.

To further disrupt the commute, the street was recently resurfaced and new arrows were added just west of Calvin Avenue, indicating a brief narrowing from three to two lanes until Topeka Drive. This seems to serve no useful purpose. Can either of these problems be remedied?

Al Swedelson

Woodland Hills

Dear Al:

Besides facing a fine or tow, vehicles parked in front of the Starbucks can cause rear-end collisions because oncoming traffic may not expect cars to be parked there, said Jim Sherman, a parking administrator at the Department of Transportation. The city will study the problem at that location, he said.

Arrows on that stretch of Ventura Boulevard indicate a merge to allow space for two left-turn lanes on Vanalden Avenue that connect to the Ventura Freeway, said city transportation engineer Ray Wellbaum.

The left-turn lanes take some of the middle street on that section of Ventura, which is not wide enough to accommodate a third striped traffic lane, he said.

Traffic Talk appears Fridays in The Times Valley Edition. Readers may submit comments and questions about traffic in the Valley to Traffic Talk, Los Angeles Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth 91311. Include your name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited, and no anonymous letters will be accepted. Fax letters to (818) 772-3385. E-mail questions to valley.news@latimes.com.