Major change is coming to San Tomas carpool lanes
Q There is a real problem with the San Tomas Expressway carpool lanes.
The yellow diamond lights are either turned off or no longer working.
I drive the expressway almost every day after 3 p.m., and the number of solo drivers in the carpool lane is almost the same as in the other lanes.
I guess that drivers must think that if the lights are off, they can drive solo in the lane.
— Phil Simons,
Campbell
A I think you are right, but soon a major change is coming.
Over the next several months, the county will turn off the electronic signs and beacons that were installed decades ago and remove them.
They will rely on the black and white carpool signs already installed that show the carpool hours.
The yellow flashing lights were put in place to provide drivers extra warning, but I have a feeling not many folks will change their habit and assume no yellow lights means carpool rules are not in effect.
Q I certainly hope you can help my 96-yearold father with his driver’s license issuance.
On Dec. 3, I took him to the Senter Road DMV office to renew his license. He passed both his eye and his written exams. He brought all the necessary forms of identification to get his Real ID. He was issued a temporary license as his current one was expiring on Dec. 13.
Until now, he has not received his driver’s license. He has called the DMV many times and has gone in person two times to get extensions. He was told to fax Form DL 93, which he did on July 29.
His current extension expires on Nov. 30. Not one DMV person can give him a valid reason for the delay.
He has since told the DMV to cancel the Real ID and just issue the regular license since a DMV person speculated this may be the reason for the delay.
This has created a lot of stress on my dad.
— Steve Pirotta,
San Jose
A The California DMV contacted the Department of Homeland Security to check on his status, and DHS cleared the holdup.
Your father should receive his REAL ID within a couple of weeks.
Q The right lane of Caribbean Drive in Sunnyvale from Lawrence to Mathilda has been closed for a couple of weeks, but no road work has been performed yet.
What are they planning to do there?
From the signs, it seems like it is now a bike lane despite its temporary road construction look.
— Patrick Herbert
A This is a temporary lane closure to accommodate a bike lane while the city works on a project on the Bay Trail. It should reopen around Oct. 15.
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