Highway 24 metering lights could take a decade to fix
Q I drive Highway 24 and drivers exit on the offramps and but then continue back onto the freeway between Walnut Creek and Orinda. There are signs that say no through traffic, but obviously these people don’t see it. This causes more delays on the freeway as everyone has to slow to allow these people to gain a few extra car lengths. Do you think metering lights will ever happen? — Chris Sear, Pittsburg
A Yes, but not anytime soon. Caltrans plans to use money from the new gas tax to install metering lights as well as other traffic operations systems on Highway 24. But this is in the early planning stages and it may be a decade before the lights are working.
Q The Golden Gate Bridge is looking pretty seedy. Filthy, salt encrusted and faded. What’s up with that? — Ann Foster, Santa Rosa
A Painting the south tower is coming fol- lowing a recent inspection. The salty marine environment plays havoc with the bridge.
Q I noticed this last year and it got better, but it’s still not great.
Just about all of the crosswalk lights on Warm Springs Boulevard in Fremont from BART to Scott Creek Road seem to activate no matter if a pedestrian is there or not. This was all day before; now its seems to be activated at least during commute hours. The problem is, even when there isn’t much traffic and there are cars trying to turn left onto Warm Springs, they must sit at the light an extended amount of time.
BART has been up and running for a while now. Shouldn’t they have the signaling figured out? — Benny Ng, San Jose
A Fremont made some timing adjustments last year on the 5-mile segment of Warm Springs and Osgood Road, which seems to have helped. But the current timing does allow more time for pedes- trians. There are further plans to coordinate all of Warm Springs but not for a few more years. Q For the woman who is tired of the lines at the Pleasanton DMV: Go to the Tracy DMV. It’s about half an hour over the hill on Interstate 580 in non- commute hours, and no appointment is necessary. There are never more than a few people waiting. — Merlin Dorfman, San Jose
A My kind of DMV office.
Q About other people slipping on those yellow buttons at crosswalks: Oh good, I thought I was just extra clumsy. — Kimberly McKinnis, Mountain View
A Folks, be careful when walking across these devices. We don’t need more nasty falls and broken legs.
Follow Gary Richards at Twitter.com/ mrroadshow, look for him at Facebook.com/ mr. road show or contact him at mrroadshow@ bayareanewsgroup.com.