San Jose makes it easier to report abandoned cars, graffiti
Q Has the San Jose Vehicle Abatement website been taken down?
I live in a neighborhood where people have a lot of cars they don’t often use and they store them on city streets. I have reported vehicles in the past but I can’t find the website now. — Dave Kurdelski, San Jose
A Check today. The Vehicle Abatement website has not been taken down, but it has been replaced. The city has a new mobile app and web tool called My San Jose that should enable residents to quickly and easily report neighborhood issues such as abandoned vehicles, potholes, graffiti, streetlight outages and illegal dumping.
You can attach photos and tag the location of problem areas, and these will flow directly to city crews and get automatic updates via email or smartphone alerts. These updates will notify you when the problem has been assigned to a parking officer to investigate, when that officer has responded and the outcome.
Go to WWW.SANJOSECA.GOV/MYSANJOSE.
Q I have commuted 20 years down San Tomas Expressway to get to Highway 101. The traffic light at Benton Street stops traffic nine out of 10 times when I am approaching it. Does someone with a lot of pull live on Benton near this intersection? I’ve never seen another light that triggers so readily for cross-traffic. — Paul Johnson
A There have been detection issues here and at a couple of nearby intersections during construction. The county is using temporary detectors and will keep an eye on this.
Q Bird Avenue in Willow Glen is rife with potholes. Any chance repaving is in the near future? — Nino Repetti, San Jose
A Bird is in the city’s plans to be repaved in the next three years from Malone Road to San Carlos Street, but San Jose may move that up to next year.
Q Mr. Roadshow, please help on Wedgewood Avenue in Los Gatos. We have three stop signs in about half a mile in front of the country club, and now it looks like they are going to have three speed bumps in between the stop signs. Who decides this? — Lis Lacey, Los Gatos
A The installation of speed bumps was requested by residents along Wedgewood and approved by the town council on a trial basis. Stay tuned.
Q I was so happy to read in your column that somebody else plays the license number game besides me. I have been doing this for years. When I saw my first “7Z” I was so excited to know that we would be changing to “8” within a few months. I have tried to explain this game to friends, but they do not get it. — Marlene Burak
A Spotted on a TV show the other day by reader Steve Kessler. Actress Paula Patton was driving an Audi and the California plate began with an 8. He is getting plates for a new car soon. “Maybe I’ll get some 8 plates,” he hopes.