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Uploaded: Thursday, February 14, 2013, 11:18 AM
Caltrans OKs Clark Avenue stoplight
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by Daniel DeBolt
Mountain View Voice Staff
Despite outcry from residents who said it would increase traffic on their streets, Caltrans has decided to move forward with a stoplight at Clark Avenue and El Camino Real.
Caltrans noted the number of collisions that have occurred at the four way intersection as a reason for installing the light. As one of the few signal-free intersections on El Camino Real, there were 27 collisions there between 2001 and 2006, 18 determined to be preventable with a stoplight.
On Tuesday the City Council voted 6-1 to approve restricting left turns from Clark Avenue to help prevent Clark from becoming a thoroughfare, and requested two crosswalks across El Camino Real at the intersection. Member John McAlister voted against the motion without explanation.
Council members and residents were disappointed that Caltrans had not followed the city's request to delay installation of the stop light and instead consider restricting left turns to prevent accidents, which would have reduced traffic in the neighborhood and cost less than the stoplight, estimated at $500,000. Residents fear that Clark Avenue and nearby streets will become a popular new route to and from Los Altos High School, among other locations, putting their children in danger.
The light was originally proposed along with a nearby Chick-Fil-A which the council rejected last year.
The move by Caltrans against the city's wishes prompted council member Ronit Bryant to suggest the city take control of its portion of El Camino Real from Caltrans, as was done in San Jose.
"It's not as hugely expensive as one would think," she said.Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.
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Posted by David, a resident of the Blossom Valley neighborhood, on Feb 14, 2013 at 12:48 pm Can we have our Chick Fil A now? Or is Ronit Tyrant still going to object?
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Posted by JLS, a resident of another community, on Feb 14, 2013 at 2:45 pm Thank goodness! Each time I was a passenger in a car where the driver used that intersection, I prayed it would not end badly. When I drive, I go the extra distance to use a street with a signal--still, twice I have come close to being slammed into by cars that were making a left turn from Clark unto El Camino. I never understood why a sign prohibiting a left turn was not at that dangerous intersection.
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Posted by Otto Maddox, a resident of the Monta Loma neighborhood, on Feb 15, 2013 at 8:24 am Is no one alarmed that it costs $500,000 to installed these lights?
Then there's the on going maintenance and upgrades for the next 100 years.
You could easily block that intersection so people coming from Clark can't turn left onto E.C.R. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't cost half a million dollars and the maintenance would be less.
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Posted by Garrett, a resident of another community, on Feb 15, 2013 at 12:18 pm To purchase and install a traffic light cost over $500,000 dollars, price goes up depending on need and amount.
El Camino and Grant Rd/237 would cost more to purchase and install then Clark Ave at ECR.
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Posted by Bad Move, a resident of the Cuernavaca neighborhood, on Feb 16, 2013 at 11:03 am This should've been an easy fix. Simply prohibiting left hand turns would've increased safety, and wouldn't have place a 3rd signal light within a 200-300 yard stretch of El Camino (which will surely add to congestion).
Where are the checks and balances on this decision? The City of MV expressed concern, yet Caltrans moved forward? How could this have been prevented? Does Caltrans have carte blanche to create projects for themselves which use tax payer $ and keep Caltrans workers employed?
Is 27 accidents over 5 years even that high? It would be interesting to see the 5 year accident counts for all of the lighted intersections along El Camino.
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Posted by kman, a resident of the Monta Loma neighborhood, on Feb 25, 2013 at 4:22 pm The idea is to have a light on every intersection, that way no one will get anywhere quick with there cars.
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