Ramp from I-280 southbound to Foothill Expressway, Los Altos. (Google Maps image)
Q: The unprotected left turn off the southbound Interstate 280 exit onto Foothill Boulevard remains one of the most dangerous exits in the Bay Area.
I know they’ve had trouble deciding on the right solution. I was wondering if, in the meantime, you could get them to remove the bushes in the median up the hill?
They make it virtually impossible to see oncoming traffic from that direction, which means you have to make the unprotected left turn based on a guess that there’s no traffic coming from that direction. Once you start making the turn, it’s too late to stop, as there’s nowhere to hide between the two directions of traffic, so you’d better hope and pray you guessed right.
Another idea: Couldn’t they install a traffic signal just for that left turn, and synchronize it with lights at the intersections up and down the hill? It seems both of those lights could be programmed to be red in all directions for 30-60 seconds, creating a gap in traffic, when the left turn light for the exit could turn blinking red to indicate you may turn if it is safe to do so. Or, they could do the same thing, but put in a traffic signal there for all directions, and when the break in traffic is created, all signals at that left turn would be blinking red, making it a “stop and go” for all directions, and safe for the left turn when their turn comes.
Steven Brown
A: Hopefully Caltrans will trim the bushes in this area, or has already done so, to improve safety and visibility here.
As for a traffic signal, Caltrans responded that in order to consider a traffic signal at an intersection, there are thresholds that must be met, based on traffic volumes and collision history at an intersection. One threshold, the Crash Warrant, requires a minimum of five correctible collisions (preventable with a traffic signal) during a 12-month period within the last three years.
The Caltrans traffic accident surveillance database for the latest available three years indicates there were three collisions at the intersection of the 280 southbound off-ramp and Foothill Boulevard. Since the threshold level of five collisions was not met, the next possibility is if Los Altos chooses to perform a signal warrant study here, and install the signal, if this intersection meets their requirements for adding one.
Q: I just wanted to say that Caltrans took care of a decaying tree near the offramp of El Monte northbound very soon after I sent them an email. Kudos to Caltrans.
Carolyn
A: Good to hear.
Look for Gary Richards at Facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at mrroadshow@bayareanewsgroup.com.
Originally published at Gary Richards