Toll Lanes’ Fault? Hey, Not So Fast!
* Re “Caltrans Let Safety Work Ride to Help 91 Toll Lanes” (Dec. 16):
Of the 216 traffic accidents that occurred on the Riverside Freeway in 1998, 14 were the result of drunk drivers, while 60 were attributable to unsafe lane changes.
In both cases, one can hardly blame the California Private Transportation Co., the toll road operator, or Caltrans for their failure to allow or make ostensibly necessary improvements to the highway.
And, ironically, the fact that excessive speed was the culprit behind 124 of the 216 accidents suggests that the 91 Express Lanes have done an excellent job of alleviating gridlock.
BYRON DE ARAKAL
Costa Mesa
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
