Coronavirus has slowed road improvement projects

Q

Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, California passed a gasoline tax to make improvements on our roads. Many months have gone by, and it dawned on me that I must be driving on all the roads that were scheduled last for improvement. Highway 17 between Los Gatos and Interstate 280 must have some of the worst pavement in the nation.

I have driven local roads that are in the same condition. I am hard-pressed to remember a road that I have driven since the passage of the gas tax that has been resurfaced. Am I selectively driving on all the wrong roads?

— Joseph Tyburski

A

Perhaps. COVID-19 has slowed some paving but has not stopped it. Santa Clara County is working on Capitol Expressway, with Almaden Expressway next on the list.

Capitol Expressway work will take place between Highway 87 and McLaughlin Avenue in San Jose. It will include better drainage and pedestrian improvements, sidewalk repairs and upgrading curb ramps. Work is expected to be completed by the end of January. Almaden Expressway will be repaved from Blossom Hill Road to Harry Road next month.

In addition, Highway 17 repaving from Summit Road to Bear Creek will occur late this year, with repaving on Interstate 880 near Oakland, Interstate 80 near the Bay Bridge, and El Camino Real next year.

Q

If you want to see what has become an international raceway, try driving Skyline Boulevard between Highway 9 and Highway 84 on weekends. Motorcycles are going so fast, it seems they want to die. Highway 9 from Saratoga to Skyline is almost as bad.

It makes these roads almost unusable for conservative drivers, which is sad because these roads are the only access to many open space preserves.

The only way to safely drive here is to frequently pull over onto uneven shoulders that damage tires and suspensions. Why don’t sheriffs’ deputies do something? It would be a speeding ticket gold mine.

—K.R.

A

They’ll be out soon. This is a tough road to patrol with all its curves, motorcycles and others who are moving at high speeds.

Q

I am a nurse and I drive home from work at 11:45 p.m. several nights a week. For some unknown reason, the traffic lights at Almaden and Cherry Avenue in San Jose were changed from sensor to timed a few weeks ago, with ridiculously long times when there is little to no traffic, and we poor souls have to wait for several minutes while one or no cars are around. Can you work your magic and get these lights reset back to sensor?

— Susan Peterson

A

Magic done. The county discovered a detection issue and has fixed it.

Look for Gary Richards at Facebook.com/mr.roadshow, or contact him at mrroadshow@bayareanewsgroup.com or 408-920-5335.