Drivers, you can sound off on how to fix 101 Freeway
Planners seek online feedback on how to spend billions in road funds
From the garlic fields surrounding Gilroy through the massive high-tech empire in Silicon Valley on to the bustling financial district of San Francisco, traveling on the 101 Freeway is a constant pain.
But now commuters can have a voice by taking part in an online survey at 101mobilityactionplan.com through Wednesday. What are the problems and possible solutions from ground level?
This is different from the way in which most plans are drawn up. Regional and local agencies aren’t setting the wish list to draw support for a new tax measure. It’s everyday commuters who are having their say.
The Valley Transportation Authority, Transform, SamTrans, Caltrans and cities along the 60-plus miles of asphalt are seeking new strategies for dealing with the congestion on 101, with particular consideration toward issues of equity.
“Something that sets this apart from other studies is that it focuses on improving options for sharing rides through carpool, van pools, transit or other nontraditional transportation modes in order to maximize the benefits of infrastructure improvements,” said SamTrans spokesman Dan Lieberman.
“Transit is a component of this, but we don’t want to limit our scope to transit. Rather, we want to look for more nontraditional approaches
to deal with the Peninsula’s unique challenges.”
That could be congestion pricing into San Francisco, toll lanes and fewer potholes.
More than $2 billion is earmarked for 101 changes over the next three decades. Express lanes from Mountain View to San Bruno, plus interchange upgrades at 92-101 highways and along almost every interchange in the South Bay, plus Highway 25 west of Hollister. And extra lanes from Morgan Hill to Gilroy.
But more is needed to make this easier for the tens of thousands who drive 101 each day.
That will likely mean a big push getting people out of their cars and SUVs. Today, only 13% to 22% of peak-hour vehicles on 101 have two or more passengers, and public transit buses that use the freeway carry fewer than 1,000 riders per day.
More than 200 shuttles use 101 each day, but as ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Lyft have increased in use, especially for airport trips, congestion
in and around airports has increased and transit revenue has decreased.
South Highway 101 has several regularly congested hot spots during commute hours, which make travel less reliable. SamTrans Route 398, which operates in mixed traffic on 101 rather than in dedicated transit lanes, has an ontime performance of just 63 percent, and during the morning peak, 101 from Highway 85 to 280/680 is third least-reliable highway segment in the Bay Area.
The impact spreads across all lanes but hits low-income drivers the hardest.
• Shift-based workers earning hourly wages may lose a job or wages due to tardiness.
• Low-income households will spend a greater share of their income on transportation.
• Small apartments may be jammed with dozens of residents.
• Students with set class times may miss key education opportunities.
• Parents and caregivers may pay fees or risk children’s safety for every minute they are late for pickup.
• Commuters often have to add time to their trip to avoid being late. This has the greatest impact on lowwage employees working hourly or shift jobs, which typically require stricter schedules and start times than higher-paid, salaried positions.
But what drivers seem to want is a freeway that is well-maintained.
“It seems there has been no progress while the road condition keeps getting worse,” said Henry Ng of San Jose, who is upset about the water leak south of 880. “The weather has cleared out, as we are already in the middle of summer, yet there is no relief.”
Larry Kezar added to the list of gripes.
“Is there any plan to repair northbound 101 in Morgan Hill? The far-right lane, in particular, is in bad shape in several places,” he said.
Ed Woz of San Jose is fed up with missing lane markers near Bernal Road.
“The unmarked, rightmost lane simply goes away and is quite dangerous. There is no indication with painted arrows or signage telling motorists that the rightmost lane they are in is about to end. I have witnessed many near misses in just a couple of years.”
Survey results will be released this year. But that sea of red lights may take a lot longer.