WHERE DID ALL THE TRUCKS COME FROM?
“I live in San Martin on Columbet Avenue between Masten Avenue and Houge Court. Frequently, between 2am and 6am, very large and heavy semi trucks pass by my house in an effort to avoid the scales on Highway 101. I have replaced my glass shelves after they have been knocked over by the vibration of these passing trucks. I have called the California Highway Patrol, but nothing has been done as far as I can tell. How do I proceed to take care of this?”
RED PHONE
The Red Phone wandered over to the Sig Sanchez Government Center at the intersection of Highland Avenue and Monterey Road in San Martin, where we find the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office. We visited with Detective Jeff Longoria, and as it turns out, both the California Highway Patrol and the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office have jurisdiction over the unincorporated sections of the county, exactly where your problem exists.
Longoria suggested calling the sheriff’s office at (408) 686-3650 to formally lodge your complaint, and he will bring it up at the morning squad meeting so that an effort can be made to address the problem.
The officers that take care of transportation problems wear the dark blue coveralls and drive the sheriff’s pickup trucks. When they detain a trucker under suspicion, they check their logs, ask where they’re bound and where they’ve come from, and may escort the tractor-trailer to the scales for weighing and a complete inspection. No trucker looks forward to this, and they’re taking a chance trying to avoid the scales in an effort to keep on schedule.
To be fair, some truckers using surface roads are legal. Some live in that area and are just returning home for the evening, but from what you have described, a little bit more may be going on.
Hope this information helps you out, caller.
No Right on Red?
“In the right turn lane of Camino Arroyo coming from Wal-Mart, Costco, Lowes, etc. onto Pacheco Pass Highway, there is a traffic signal just for that lane. Most drivers pay no attention to the red light and drive right through the signal without even stopping. Perhaps, they think a “right turn on red” is OK for this type of lane.
From my memory of DMV regulations, when a right turn lane has its own signal, you must stop and wait for the green light to proceed. It appears the right turn lane traffic signal is sequenced to be green only when the other traffic signals at that intersection do not allow vehicles to head toward 10th Street. This allows the right lane vehicles to cross over the U.S. 101 north on-ramp to 10th Street safely.
Perhaps a sign should be installed at the turn saying “No Turn on Red” or something similar. Or, maybe the Gilroy Police should start citing drivers who drive through the red light.
I do stop when there is a red light, however, the vehicles behind me get annoyed and pass me, blowing their horns, and giving me the one-finger salute. My wife avoids the lane, instead driving across Pacheco Pass Highway, doing at U-turn at the next light, and then getting into the left-most left turn lane so she can drive up 10th Street.”
Red Phone
Good caller, Red Phone apologizes for any road rage you have incurred, however according to Gilroy City Engineer Don Dey, standard “right on red” procedure should be followed.
“The traffic signal for that southbound turn is what we call a red ball. It’s no different than pulling up to any intersection, seeing a ‘red ball,’ and then following procedure,” Dey said. “The reason it is different, is because the state was concerned about pedestrians crossing Highway 152 and the busy intersection, but there is no reason a car needs to stop and stay stopped. It’s just like any intersection, green, go, and if it’s red, stop make sure the area is clear and then proceed. The only thing the drivers need to cautious about is pedestrians.”
Turn on the lights
“I’m calling with a concern that it is extremely dark on Arrroyo Circle. There are no public street lights all the way down to the Gilroy School District. I travel that road regularly at night and it is pitch black and I have to put my high beams on, and I wanna know why there is no overhead city lighting there in that gap there, but by the Home Buffet, the lights start up again and go all the way to the end at Gilman.”
Red Phone
We contacted Gilroy City Engineer Don Dey about the lack of light.
“This roadway was actually constructed and street lights installed prior to the city engineer getting here, so the only explanation I have is whenever this roadway was constructed our street light standards were different than they are now,” Dey said.
However, the future for that area includes plans for a bridge that will connect the Gilroy Premium Outlets to the other side of town.
When you see something that’s just not right, let the Red Phone know at (408) 779-4106, ext. 206, or e-mail re******@*************es.com. Remember to leave a name and phone number when you call or e-mail. The Red Phone will not publish this information and will only use it for verification purposes.
