Clarifying Valley Circle and Freeway

Dear Traffic Talk:

At the Valley Circle Boulevard and Ventura Freeway intersection, the sign for the freeway’s eastbound entrance is pointing to Avenue San Luis, rather than to the freeway entrance. Another problem is found at the Valley Circle bridge above the Ventura Freeway. The bridge does not have a raised median; it has only plastic or rubber red sticks glued to the road to prevent southbound drivers from entering the freeway’s eastbound entrance.

But through the years, these sticks have been knocked over. Drivers dangerously maneuver through the remaining ones to get on the freeway, instead of turning right later on Valley Circle to get on the freeway properly.

What can be done?

--Donald Lucove

Calabasas

Dear Donald:

Crews will install a sign that says “FWY” with an arrow pointing upward on San Luis to avoid confusion, said Ken Firoozmand, West Valley District engineer at the Los Angeles transportation department. Broken plastic sticks on the Valley Circle bridge will also be replaced, he said.

Dear Traffic Talk:

At the intersection of Riverside Drive, the 170 Hollywood Freeway southbound offramp and Tujunga Avenue in North Hollywood, traffic often backs up on eastbound Riverside. This forces motorists to wait two to four green lights to get through the intersection.

This happens in the morning rush hour and when drivers use Riverside to avoid a tie-up on the 101 Hollywood and Ventura freeways. What can be done to allow eastbound Riverside traffic to flow more efficiently?

--Ken Obert

North Hollywood

Dear Ken:

Eastbound traffic backs up on Riverside because the Riverside signal is usually green when there is no traffic or pedestrians on either the 170 offramp or nearby Kraft Avenue, said Bill Shao, city transportation engineer.

According to Shao, green time for eastbound traffic is limited on nearby Tujunga Avenue, Camarillo Street and Riverside because the Riverside signal must share its green time with all the traffic on the five-leg intersection.

Engineers will study the intersection to determine if adjustments can be made to minimize backups between the 170 offramp signal and other nearby traffic lights, Shao 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. Fax letters to (818) 772-3385. E-mail questions to [email protected].