Extending the Vasco Road median barrier remains on hold

QI’ve been a Contra Costa County resident for 29 years and want to express my deep concern about Vasco Road. Far too many people have died or been injured on this road, which should have been made safe when originally opened or when improved years ago.

We have a new gas tax and legislation for infrastructure improvements. So when will all of Vasco be a four-lane divided road to avoid head-on collisions? It did seem like the Highway Patrol presence, some median dividers and the plastic strips helped, but we need a better permanent solution.

If the proper fix is still years away, I want to know why the plastic strips that have been broken have not been replaced. — Ron Garcia

ACounty officials have design plans ready for the next phase of improvements on Vasco, and are now looking to come up with the $15 million needed for construction.

This would continue the concrete median barrier north through the existing three-lane segment for 1.5 miles.

As for the vertical delineators,

Athey are replaced a couple of times a year and were replaced in November. Crews will be out this summer to do it again.

QWhy are trucks that can only drive at 10-15 mph allowed on Vasco Road, particularly during commute hours? I understand that it is a more expedient route but it is highly dangerous to come around a corner at the speed limit and there is a big truck crawling up the hill.

They should restrict the hours to ban trucks from 5-8 a.m. and 4-7 p.m. — Tracy Lape, Discovery Bay Unlikely to happen. California does not have any truck restrictions during limited hours and state and federal law forbids highway restrictions to truck access except for “safety and engineering” reasons.

There were three tractor truck-involved collisions over a five-year period, all involving rearend type collisions. This number of collisions, given the high volume of daily trips on this route, is not considered to be statistically significant.

In addition, Vasco in the Contra Costa County section has no steep grades and passing lanes where slower vehicles (including trucks) can move to the right lane.

QTraveling on Interstate 880 during commute traffic, I’m seeing a lot of clean-air vehicles in the car pool lane without stickers. Is this legal? — Henry Guerin, Fremont

ANo. They must have stickers even if they are clean-air vehicles.

QPlease tell Ben McRay that some people support the wildlife tunnel on Highway 17 and feel that “saving four animals a year” is completely worth it. I only wish it could be built quicker. — Debbie Urango, San Jose

AIt’ll be two years before work begins on the $12 million project near Laurel Curve.

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