‘Mathilda Monster’ scheduled to be rebuilt later this year
QI go through the “Mathilda Monster”/Highway 237 intersection twice a day, five times a week. This is a terrible traffic mess. The city is adjusting timing on the lights and installing new wiring at Innovation Way, but that is not going to do anything to alleviate this horrible place.
It’s a dangerous area in so many ways. People need to slow down coming off northbound Highway 101 onto Mathilda Avenue, everyone needs to pay attention to the traffic lights and stop signs and to the way they are switching lanes. A terribly designed interchange for traffic that comes into it from too many ways. A solution can’t be constructed soon enough. — Edwina Johnson, Sunnyvale
AHopeful news. The VTA will approve the final pieces of a funding package next month to begin construction of a new $48 million interchange for the Mathilda Monster at highways 101 and 237. Work could begin by Christmas and, if all goes well, be done by the end of 2019. This includes widening Mathilda to three lanes, new stop lights and better ramps. Design is complete, but there is a $17 million deficit with the delay in Measure B funding. That half-cent sales tax is hung up in a lawsuit.
QI agree with those who say that the lights on Mathilda Avenue and Sunnyvale Saratoga Road are poorly programed. One will hit every light no matter the time of day or number of cars on the road. All of Sunnyvale is like this. The day after Christmas, it took me 14 minutes to go 1.8 miles, with no traffic at all. — Ray-the-TowTruck-Guy
AMore hopeful news. Sunnyvale will perform signal timing on Mathilda Avenue/Sunnyvale Saratoga from Bordeaux Drive to Alberta Avenue.
QLast Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. there were so many 18-wheelers on Highway 85 that for every 10-12 cars there was another one. I thought they weren’t allowed on 85 on the Cupertino-Sunnyvale stretch. Has that changed? It usually takes me 10 minutes to get to Highway 237 from Homestead Road, but that morning it took 40 minutes. — Sandy Bouja, Cupertino
ATrucks are allowed on Highway 85 from Stevens Creek Boulevard north to Highway 101 in Mountain View. The big rig ban runs from 101-85 in South San Jose to Stevens Creek. The slowdown you endured likely was caused by roadwork north of Homestead Road.
QThe Wall Street Journal reports that the Utah Department of Transportation has posted a one-liner on some of its electronic billboards that reads: Camp in the mountains — not the left lane. Good advice in the Bay Area — as in “Yeah, I am talking to you, Road Boulder.” It is a great article on humor making its way into electronic billboards. — Bob Clarkson, Mountain View
AHumor is a useful tool to make drivers pay more attention.
Join Gary Richards’ hourlong chat at noon Wednesdays at www.mercurynews.com/livechats. Contact him at mrroadshow @bayareanewsgroup.com or 408-920-5037.