San Jose considering new rules for motorized scooters
QWe have been reading for weeks about the new electric-scooter rentals in San Francisco and their problems. One afternoon last week, during a half-hour walk downtown on Santa Clara Street, I encountered a dozen of those fast motorized scooters charging down the sidewalk dodging pedestrians. Maybe San Jose should get a handle on this before it becomes a major problem rather than waiting for it to get ugly. — Robert Ayers
AYou raise a good point, and the city is working on new regulations and hopes to have some ideas ready in September. Under state law, to use a motorized scooter, you must have a drivers license or permit, and wear a helmet. They cannot be ridden on sidewalks and, if the street has a speed limit greater than 25 mph, they must be ridden in a bike lane.
San Jose is developing a permit system to regulate scooter programs this summer, and the system is anticipated to be in place in before the end of the year. Go to www. sanjoseca.gov /index. aspx?NID=3705 for current laws on motorized scooters.
QWhile expensive, any thoughts on bridging Moody Gulch on Highway 17? Seems like the elevation on both ends does not make it much of a rise. — Robert Mandler, Campbell
AThere are no plans for now, but something needs to be considered. This was the scene of far too many crashes during the rains of a year ago. Most of the changes being considered on 17 are on the Santa Cruz County side with interchanges possible at Old Santa Cruz Highway, Laurel Road and Vine Hill Road. A ban on left turns at many locations is also high on the wish list.
QWhen will Wolfe Road be repaved between Homestead Road and El Camino Real? Will the same bike lane configuration be kept? You must be paying close attention because the lanes zig-zag left and right all the way to Fremont Avenue.
There is also a section of Wolfe Road from the light going south over Interstate 280 that needs repaving, too. — Marilyn Jolliff, Sunnyvale
APG&E will begin work to underground the power lines next year. Once that is done, Cupertino will then resurface the road, most likely in 2020. There is a short segment between 280 and the bridge scheduled for repaving in 2020.
There are no plans to reconfigure the bike lanes as they were designed to preserve street parking based on input from residents.
QIs Apple chipping in for any of this? Wolfe Road was dug up so reclaimed water could be brought to their campus. — Marilyn Jolliff
AYep. Apple repaved Wolfe between Homestead and the northbound 280 ramp.
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