The Mercury News

Lawrence-Interstate 280 interchang­e getting new lane

- Gary Richards — Lisa Hughes, San Jose Join Gary Richards for an hourlong chat noon Wednesday at www. mercurynew­s.com/ live-chats. Look for him at Facebook.com/ mr.roadshow or contact him at mrroadshow@ bayareanew­sgroup.

QThey’ve started work on the Lawrence Expressway/Stevens Creek Boulevard off-ramp from Interstate 280 and the sign says work will take a year. That’s the offramp I use coming home. I’d love to know more.

AI think you’ll love this (I know I do). They are adding a left-turn-only lane from the off-ramp to Stevens Creek. Right now crews are building a tall retaining wall as part of the widening for the third left-turn lane. It’s all part of the required traffic mitigation for the Apple Park spaceship campus and should be done late next year.

QWhen will constructi­on end on San Tomas Expressway between El Camino Real and Homestead Road? — Mohammad Syed, San Jose

AThe widening between El Camino and Homestead should be done by April.

QSince Nvidia opened its new building across San Tomas Expressway at Walsh Avenue from its old one, almost every light cycle has employees, often just one or two at a time, crossing San Tomas to go back and forth between buildings. In the past, one often had a green light at this intersecti­on. Now it has flipped to red most often.

The backup is so frustratin­g here because it is now a long light and often results in being stopped at the next westbound light at Monroe. — Tom Eaton

AThe county came out to check, and concluded that this intersecti­on seems to be operating OK. Nvidia did add another crosswalk at this intersecti­on as part of their new campus developmen­t. The city of Santa Clara may also take a look at this.

QAre they going to ever repave Capitol Expressway? It sure would be nice. — Fran Smith, San Jose

AYep. Funds from the new gas tax could help pay for paving work on Capitol and on Almaden, Central, Lawrence, and San Tomas expressway­s.

QWhat’s the latest on widening Foothill Expressway in Los Altos? — Bill Branch, San Jose

AWork could begin next summer between El Monte Avenue and San Antonio Road to add auxiliary lanes in each direction.

QI drive all across California and there are few areas that have expressway­s like we have in the South Bay. Why is that? — Dan Buri, Milpitas

AIt’s a long story. Back in the ’50s, South Bay leaders were pushing to bring BART down the Peninsula to San Jose. But when San Mateo County gave thumbs down to extending BART south, Santa Clara County opted to build its expressway system that today covers 62 miles.

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