Signal Not the Cause of Backup

Dear Traffic Talk:

At the westbound Tampa Avenue exit of the Ronald Reagan Freeway, traffic backs onto the freeway on Saturdays, creating a hazard. This does not occur during the week.

Why would weekend traffic backup onto the freeway? I conclude that the traffic light at the top of the ramp is responsible. Green and yellow time is about 20 seconds on Saturdays but is longer on weekdays. Please have this checked out.

--Norman McCracken

Northridge

Dear Norman:

An investigation of this intersection June 10 revealed no Tampa Avenue offramp backup, said Bill J. Shao, a transportation engineer with the city Department of Transportation. But because there is a church next to the offramp, attention will be paid to church traffic before service hours on Saturdays, he said.

In general, the length of an offramp signal’s green time is determined by the number of vehicles going through the sensors, Shao said. Green time may vary according to the day of the week and the time of day.

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Dear Traffic Talk:

I am wondering why the left-hand turn arrow at the corner of Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Ventura Boulevard has been shortened.

There is not enough time for every car already in line to turn left. Only three to four cars can make it during the green and yellow arrow. Previously, six to seven cars could turn. It’s time-consuming to miss so many arrows at an intersection already burdened by too many cars.

--Nancy Cable

Woodland Hills

Dear Nancy:

The Topanga and Ventura intersection signal was not coordinated with other signals on the two boulevards because of missing infrastructure, said Shao, of the city transportation department.

To move traffic more smoothly on both boulevards, the signal has been re-timed as part of a city signal improvement project. On June 14, in a last re-timing job, the green time for left turns was adjusted to accommodate late-night traffic demand.

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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.