Don’t forget the 17 Freeway’s top speed limit is just 50 mph

Q

The 17 Freeway is a mess again, usually because of yet another accident. Drivers simply cannot control themselves on this road, making it very dangerous.

Radical times require radical measures. Let’s implement speed cameras, CHP escorts, triple fines and even shame boards. Perhaps we can have daily escorts up and down the 17 at the speed limit. Please help.

— Steve Burke,

Santa Cruz

A

Yes, the dangers on this curvy fourlane mountain road from Los Gatos to Scotts Valley continue. Crashes are on pace to total nearly 700 this year. Thankfully, that’s down from 816 a year ago and 989 two years ago, but it continues a troubling trend of more wrecks — nearly 40 percent higher than the average from 2003 through 2014 when the Safety on 17 campaign began.

Q

The clearest sign that something is amiss on the 17 Freeway is the absence of the CHP. It used to be that there was always an officer stationed to catch speeders right after the summit going south on the first downhill turn tucked on the right side hidden by the mountain as well as the last part of the downhill on the return trip where cars can noticeably pick up speed from the steep decline.

Nowadays, there is nothing. I think I’ve seen one CHP officer in the past several drives there and back. They used to be a guaranteed presence because that was the only way to get speeders to slow down.

— Dave A.

A

Extra patrol hours dropped last year, due in great part to the heavy rains last winter. P.S.: The speed limit on most of the 17 Freeway is 50 mph.

Q

I wish they would make the 17 Freeway a toll road across the summit to Santa Cruz. Use congestion pricing. Make the toll much bigger for any vehicle significantly slower than the flow of traffic. A lot of the problem is slow trucks and RVs.

— Frank N.

A

Don’t forget those crazy drivers who veer in front of those slow big-rigs and RVs. And remember to keep eyes on traffic well ahead of you. Don’t fixate on just the vehicle immediately in front.

Q

Driving the 17 Freeway raceway scares me. Whereas Santa Cruz used to be a popular destination for us, we just avoid it now. Lately, I’ve been wanting to go to Aptos and am seriously considering driving over to Half Moon Bay, down to Santa Cruz and then to Aptos. I know that doesn’t even make sense. I’m an assertive driver, even at 79, but I just won’t do it. — Gloria Pyszka,

Palo Alto

A

That’s the route our son-in-law, daughter and grandson take.

Q

Tell me, Mr. Roadshow, when will they add a lane in each direction to the 17 Freeway?

— Barry Hennings, Los Altos

A

Surely, you jest.