Q: Summer traffic is not the problem with Highway 17 at the Cats. With everyone in the valley wanting to beat the heat and get to the beach, it’s too slow during the summer months to allow people to speed along. It’s usually a crawl.
The real issue is the drivers who think they are participating in the Olympic Luge competition and treat that part of the road like they’re zooming along in a sled on ice. Hopefully, Caltrans will get its act together here soon and extend the median barrier.
Thanks for bringing this up again.
Susan Alberto, Saratoga
A: Here we go again with heavy beach traffic. History has shown that hot weekdays leading into hot weekends create the worst of traffic days in Los Gatos. This is exactly what we have in store this Father’s Day weekend and on weekends throughout the summer.
Here is what to expect and how to handle it:
- Leave before 10 a.m. if trying to get to Santa Cruz via 17.
- Turn restrictions are in place on city streets to help reduce cut through traffic in residential areas. Don’t try to cut through Los Gatos and then re-enter 17.
- Most importantly, those going to the beach should anticipate that they will encounter traffic both on 17 and when they reach their destination and parking will be challenging.
Q: I wanted to pass on a comment regarding replacing red wrong-way reflectors with spikes to disable a vehicle going the wrong way on ramps. The suggestion of wrong-way spikes crops up frequently in public meetings.
Here is the major reason not to use them. In a previous lifetime, I was a firefighter/paramedic in Maryland. On major roads, like divided highways and freeways, the volume of traffic quickly chokes lanes closed at the scene of an incident. The only way for fire, EMS and law enforcement to gain access is by traveling the wrong way to get to the scene. To not be able to get to a patient, fire or to catch a suspect because wrong-way spikes would immobilize vehicles is not a pretty picture.
John Pilger, Laguna Woods
A: Makes sense to me.
Q: We were driving to Auburn from Walnut Creek passing Sacramento around 2 p.m. when a horde of motorcycle riders (at least 100) roared between lanes, cut over lanes, and were extremely reckless. Some riders were actually standing up on their bikes. We were quite intimidated and feared for the safety of both riders and motorists. Can anything be done to control this behavior?
Wayne & Rosie White, Walnut Creek
A: Call 9-1-1. These are more of some pre-pandemic bad habits that are returning.
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