Crossing 2 Solid Lines Is Illegal

Dear Traffic Talk:

Please tell us the laws governing the diamond lanes. Is the speed limit 65 mph? Vehicles dart in and out over the double lines at will. Is this legal?

--W.M. Myers

Palmdale

Dear W.M.:

The speed limit is 65 mph, and it is illegal to cross the double solid lines. Drivers who cross the parallel lines can be ticketed and may have to pay a fine of at least $271, said Caltrans spokesman Joe Brazile.

Carpool lanes have double solid lines to discourage dangerous weaving between the lane and normal traffic, Brazile said. Vehicles may cross the striping only where there are broken lines, the areas designated for entering or exiting carpool lanes. Otherwise, some drivers would travel as far as possible in the carpool lane before getting out to quickly cross several lanes and reach an exit on the far right.

Using a carpool lane requires a minimum of two people per vehicle, including the driver.

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Dear Traffic Talk:

In Sylmar, a section of Foothill Boulevard just east of Filbert Street appears wide enough for two lanes of traffic, especially if you’re heading west on Foothill. But it seems the city is preparing new striping on the right shoulder of westbound Foothill that will force traffic into one through lane on this portion of Foothill. The striping will then apparently turn into a right turn lane on the west side of Filbert.

Would it be possible for the striping to extend the two marked through lanes farther east on Foothill?

--Scott H. Byrd

Pasadena

Dear Scott:

The two lanes won’t be extended farther east. To increase safety, the city has installed new striping on Foothill for only one through lane to improve Filbert drivers’ visibility, said Ken Firoozmand, West Valley district engineer with the city Department of Transportation. Although Foothill just west of Filbert is wide enough for two through lanes, one through lane on Foothill will keep drivers in the center and from traveling too close to the curb, he said.

East of west-side Filbert on Foothill are Foothill Freeway columns and a sharp curve, both of which decrease visibility for drivers exiting Filbert, especially when they are making left turns to go eastbound on Foothill, Firoozmand said.