I always cringe when I see cyclists riding next to speeding traffic.  I’m kinda glad they are allowing them to get in a safer zone where are they have to worry about are joggers with headphones that can’t hear them coming, stroller brigades that consume the entire path of the sidewalk and cracks in the sidewalks.

Still much better than driving alone with speeding traffic.

Nice job council.

Image Source www.cityofvancouver.us

The construction will focus on streetscaping.  Basically that means they will be tearing up the sidewalks between 6th St and 8th St and adding landscaping, benches, trash cans, lamp posts, etc.  One major change will be bulb-outs in the sidewalks.  At intersections the sidewalk will stick out a bit and curve.  Supposedly this ‘calms down’ traffic.  Anyone remember the brilliant “back in parking”?  Let’s hope the bulb-outs are done in a way that won’t freak everybody out.  Sometimes too much change is just not a good thing.

At ant rate, businesses WILL BE OPEN, so support the businesses in Newhall so they are still around after this major upgrade which is costing about 2.5 million dollars.

I just submitted one about the left turn lane by the post office and the process was quick and easy.

All you have to do is go to this site and voila.  If you don’t have a user account, they will create one for you and email you the log in information.  It takes about a week to get a reply.

Please pull over to the side if you hear/see an ambulance or emergency vehicle.  If you’re driving around the hospital, you can almost expect to hear them, so use caution.

Teenagers can not have another person in the car (except parent or sibling) during the first year of their provisional license.  To report dangerous teen drivers you can call 877-310-STOP.

With all the construction going on in the west side of town, it’s good to know that tickets are usually doubled in construction zones, so keep it slow and be careful.

Stay safe, pay attention, stay off the phone while driving if you can.  This law will go into effect in July anyway, so may as well get used to it now. 

The exit from the 5 north at magic Mountain will remain either closed or detoured through mid February as well.

Basically, try and avoid the area completely!  I know I will. 

The Newhall Station, which was selected because of its high transit use for the area, is one of several select Metro Rail and Metrolink stations chosen to help identify improvements for station access for bicycles and pedestrians.

The survey, in English and Spanish, is part of a comprehensive study of existing conditions and recommendations for improvements at all of the selected rail stations and is funded by a Caltrans Environmental Justice Planning Grant.

As part of the survey questions, Metro and LACBC will be handing out bicycle tire patch kits, small reflectors, and information cards to encourage safe bicycling and pedestrian traffic.

The results of these interviews will be incorporated into a final report of recommendations to be completed in the fall of 2008.  These reports can be used by cities to apply for grant funds to improve access to the stations.
 

In addition in January, the traffic flow on The Old Road may be diverted from the west side to the east side.  This needs to happen so they can add the ‘new road’ to The Old Road.

Please call the project hotline (661) 290-2297, for any extended major lane closures, detours, or news associated with this project.

Commuters must be very happy about this, especially with the holidays coming up. 

Soledad is closed in both directions from Ruether to Golden Oak.

Traffic is being diverted and these detours are expected to last all day and into the evening. 

All northbound and southbound lanes on I-5 are now open to traffic.  Despite the freeway opening to traffic in both directions earlier then expected, motorists should still plan for additional commute time when leaving for their destination. 

Update (Director of CalTrans, Will Kempton, says Tuesday morning would be the absolute earliest the freeway will open and that is only if all goes as planned.) 

There was a horrible 15-vehicle accident (5-6 semi trucks) last night at about 11pm on the I5 in an underpass that resulted in a pile up and a blazing fire that spanned about 1/8th of a mile long and caused an indefinite closure of the freeway.  The fire burned so hot that the steel in the concrete overpass began to expand resulting in the concrete shattering and falling.

As of now, two deaths have been reported, and there is one truck driver that is said to be missing.  It is not known if there are any passenger vehicles under the debris of the 15 trucks.  There have been many injuries as a result of this accident and firefighters, CHP and CalTrans are working 24/7 to get I5 open by Tuesday morning at the absolute earliest.  Crews are working 10 feet at a time into the tunnel removing debris in a methodical manner for safety reasons as well as taking into consideration that they may encounter human remains.

The 5 is closed from the 126 to the Roxford offramp and traffic is being diverted through the SCV to the 14 which is open and moving very slowly.  At 6am this morning KABC reported that you could access I5 South via the 14, but I5 Northbound was closed.  According to reports from local residents, it is about a 1 hour and 45 minute delay to get out of the SCV.

KABC has more on the story here. 

Assemblyman Camyron Smith’s office has been working with the governor’s office to try and receive a state of emergency declaration in order to receive funds needed to bring the freeway back to safe conditions.

I have a friend that was driving home at about 11:30 last night from the valley and they didn’t get home until about 3:30.  What a nightmare. Apparently, there was one accident that caused the first truck to slam on his brakes which started the reaction.  The rain always makes for hazardous driving conditions, but the first rain of the season adds danger due to the road being more slippery than normal. 

If you have any other stories or comments, please leave them so we can provide as much information as possible.