Cal Freeway Tunnel Safety Compromised due to Greenie Laws

Several years ago I brought to the attention of City Council Members the potential disaster waiting to happen on the Transition Tunnels from the 210 South bound to the 210 East bound. Truck traffic on the 210 has continued to increase exponentially over the past and there is no abatement in sight. The recent collision of 2 18 Wheelers on the 210 near Arroyo/Windsor and now the disastrous collision of 30 vehicles in the I-5 Truck Tunnel near Santa Clarita. This should be a Wake-up Call for us and CalTrans.

The Transition Tunnels in Pasadena filter 4 lanes into two and are shared by both Trucks and Passenger vehicles and all are jockeying for position to merge into ONE Lane for transition onto the 210 East. Above those tunnels are On and Off ramps merging with the 710 South and the 210/134 East. Driving into those Tunnels during certain time of the day is like driving into a 'Black Hole' - lighting is totally inadequate even when drivers turn-on their head lights.

The accident in Santa Clarita occurred in a Truck Only Tunnel, but above the tunnel is the I-5 Passenger Traffic and traffic may still be compromised as a result of the extreme heat generated by the ensuing truck fires. There are some striking similarities of the Santa Clarita accident to potentially our own situation. Should a like accident occur in Pasadena with the mix of truck and passenger vehicles, the death toll could be significantly greater.

How can such a potential catastrophe be averted - 5 Suggestions: 1. Install 'SERIOUS' NEW LIGHTING in the Tunnels. 2. Establish, Post & Enforce Speed Limits on approach & thru the Tunnels. Also, when was the last time anyone observed CA Speed Limits enforced for Truck & other vehicles, give or take 5-10 mph? 3. Construct a Secondary Transition On-Ramp to the 210 East for exclusive use by Passenger Cars. 4. And what about the use of Mobile appurtenances while driving! 5. IT IS HIGH TIME TO COMPLETE THE 710 CONNECTOR THRU SOUTH PASADENA - we may just have to disturb some 'Ostriches' with their head in the sand!!!

They're coated with a mildy-retroreflective paint, so that when clean, they pretty much self-illuminate at night.

With fairly light traffic loads, and the ability to wash the tunnels clean with a pressure washer, Caltrans could keep things pretty bright.

Then, as traffic increased dramatically, came laws outlawing the drainage of pressure-washer effluent into the storm sewers. That means that in order to wash the tunnels, any run-off from the operation must be cleaned up by a pumper truck, so that Santa Monica bay may recover.

As a result, the tunnel-washing efforts by Caltrans have been severely reduced, and only when wheels squeak loudly enough is anything done. I've been told by Caltrans reps that there are only two tunnel washers in the entire state.

The tunnels in our area were washed recently. Prior to that, graffiti could be seen that was created when "vandals" wiped off the soot coating the walls. Caltrans responded by painting over the area, creating large "smudge" areas that no longer reflect.

Keeping the tunnel walls *clean* should be of paramount importance, followed nearly immediately by ensuring that *all* existing lighting is actually functioning - especially during daylight hours, when the tunnels become a sudden, and potentially deadly, "black hole."

But, since Caltrans is a gov't agency, the best plan is for folks to watch their fronts, and their backs.

Also, if someone wants to develop a retroreflective paint that is non-toxic and can be effectively sprayed over/into soot, I'd bet Caltrans would buy, and apply, a bunch.

South Pasadena has refused to allow a connector to be built from the 7 Freeway to the 210. They have only themselves to blame when a flood of cars gets on and off their streets because they're shortsighted in allowing the freeway to be finished.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

Some cars do 90 in that section, and truckers are doing 65....they came around that blind curve into the tunnel, saw the T/C, and locked them up....bam bam bam.

The original driver has not been found..along with 8 others

Californias infrastructure used to be the envy of other states.

Sadly, California's environuts along with their liberal buddies in Sacramento have changed that envy to disdain and laughter.

California's infrastructure is like an old garbage dump slowly rotting from the inside and putting out all kinds of poisonous gases.

The great highways of the 60’s and 70’s have become nothing more than one patch after another.

Thanks liberals and environuts.

4 posted on 10/15/2007, 11:59:13 PM by OKIEDOC (Kalifornia, a red state wannabe. I don't take Ex Lax I just read the New York Times.)

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