Way Is Paved for Hazeltine, Kester Repairs

Dear Traffic Talk:

Hazeltine and Kester avenues--north and south--running through Van Nuys and Sherman Oaks are, in my opinion, two of the worst streets in the central San Fernando Valley.

I have lived in Van Nuys for 20 years, and many of the major arteries--north and south and east and west--have been repaved all around these two streets.

Some sections of Kester, in the nicer areas in Sherman Oaks, have been repaved, but not the worst parts in not-so-nice Van Nuys.

What gives? What will it take to get these streets repaved?

Karen May

Van Nuys

Dear Karen:

There are different repair plans for several sections of streets in that area, according to authorities.

For instance, the portion of Kester from Saticoy Street to Sherman Way is on the city’s 1996/97 Resurfacing Program, said Gregg Scott, director of the Los Angeles Bureau of Street Maintenance. The work should begin in June.

Other sections also on the 1996-97 schedule include Hazeltine Avenue, between Vanowen and Oxnard streets and between Covello and Vanowen streets, according to officials.

Sections in the 1998-99 repair schedule include Kester Avenue between Sherman Way and Oxnard Street, between Burbank Boulevard and Valleyheart Drive, and between Oxnard Street and Magnolia Boulevard, Scott said.

Two portions--between Oxnard and Burbank and between Valleyheart and Ventura Boulevard--were resurfaced in 1995 and are in good shape, authorities said.

Dear Traffic Talk:

Is there a universal signal to indicate that you are stopped to yield for an oncoming siren, especially if one is unable to pull to the side of the road?

Many times I have wanted to indicate to cars behind me that I have heard a siren, especially when it is coming from an intersecting street.

I have thought to activate my emergency flashers to signal trailing traffic to slow down, even though the reason may not yet be apparent to those behind me.

Is there a legal or safety reason to avoid such a signal? Or is there another suggestion from the California Vehicle Code?

Steven Nishibayashi

Glendale

Dear Steven:

A driver’s only responsibility when hearing a siren is to pull over to the right and stop, according to authorities. Aside from that, there is little else a person can do safely.

The California Vehicle Code only makes reference to what a driver should do with his or her vehicle, said Sgt. Ernie Garcia of the California Highway Patrol.

Those instructions include pulling over to the right immediately and stopping until the emergency vehicles have passed, he said. Drivers should watch for more than one emergency vehicle.

Garcia said that some drivers are often unnecessarily hesitant to stop at red curbs, which is legal when yielding for emergency vehicles.

Drivers should pull over only to the right, Garcia said, as emergency vehicle drivers are trained to pass traffic on the left.

Other than setting an example by pulling over, the only other safe thing to do is turn on the emergency flashers, Garcia said.

Traffic Talk appears Fridays in The Times Valley Edition. Readers may submit comments and questions about traffic in the Valley to Traffic Talk, Los Angeles Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth 91311. Include your name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited, and no anonymous letters will be accepted. To record your comments, call (818) 772-3303. Fax letters to (818) 772-3385. E-mail questions to [email protected]