Freeway Sign Changes Are Needed

Dear Traffic Talk:

I noticed that the arrows on a couple of signs on the westbound Ventura Freeway do not line up with the correct lanes for making the transition either northbound or southbound onto the San Diego Freeway.

The problem is a lane was added, but the signs were not adjusted. I wonder if there are any plans to correct the problem. This infamous interchange needs all the help it can get as it is the busiest in the Los Angeles area.

Tracey Carey

Sherman Oaks

Dear Tracey:

A new sign with arrows that correctly align with the transition lanes will be up in about November, said Presley Burroughs, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.

Dear Traffic Talk:

The traffic light at the intersection of De Soto Avenue and Parthenia Street favors Parthenia. During most of the day, this is only a minor inconvenience to traffic on De Soto.

However, at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., it takes about three light cycles for vehicles on De Soto to clear Parthenia, while by the end of the green light for Parthenia, traffic is just passing through without slowing. Perhaps the city traffic department can find a way to improve the situation so the light doesn’t overly favor Parthenia at peak times.

Jerry Counts

Canoga Park

Dear Jerry:

The amount of traffic on Parthenia and the number of pedestrians crossing De Soto justify the longer amount of green time that Parthenia gets, according to Brian Gallagher, a transportation engineer with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation. Because De Soto is wider and takes longer to cross, the green time given to Parthenia is 1.5 seconds longer, he said.

Sufficient signal times are provided to allow pedestrians to get across each street at an intersection, he said, and remaining green time depends on the number of cars it gets per lane per hour. During peak periods, the number of vehicles on De Soto sometimes exceeds its vehicle carrying capacity, Gallagher said.

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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.