Local Police May Assist, but CHP Still Rules on Freeways

Dear Street Smart:

I have always believed that the California Highway Patrol had the responsibility for traffic enforcement on our freeways. However, several weeks ago, an Irvine police officer came onto the San Diego Freeway at Jeffrey Road and crossed all lanes to pull a car over in the car-pool lane, apparently for speeding. He caused several cars to brake to avoid him.

Last Sunday, I saw that a Newport Beach police car had pulled over a motorist on the freeway in Irvine--some two or three miles from Newport Beach. Who is responsible for the freeways?

Roger Nicholson, Irvine

Don’t worry, the CHP is still Number One when it comes to enforcing laws on the freeways. However, local police officers can also issue tickets if they spot a violation, according to Officer Bruce Lian, spokesman for the CHP’s Capistrano office.

Why would local officers be on the freeways in the first place? Sometimes, such as after a bank robbery, local officers are positioned on freeways to help watch for getaway vehicles.

“That’s a good way a lot of the times to apprehend these guys,” he said.

Not all the stops you see may be for traffic violations, either. Lian has often found that local officers assist stranded motorists. They may have responded to a call for aid or just have been passing by, he said.

In bigger cities, local patrol cars may use the freeways to quickly get from Point A to Point B. That’s the case in Irvine, said city Police Sgt. Tom Hume. But generally, “we don’t work the freeways,” he said.

So Irvine and other local officers may just be commuting--but that’s no protection for drivers who might dash by them. They can easily, and legally, hit their lights and pull someone over.

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Dear Street Smart:

The corner of Santa Maria Avenue and Moulton Parkway is going to become a serious traffic hazard. The owner of the shopping mall is building a brick “fence” that obstructs the view of any car intending to make a right turn from Santa Maria onto Moulton.

G.K. Bern, Laguna Hills

The county has been working to make it easier to see around that fence, after receiving complaints about blocked views, according to county traffic engineer Ignacio Ochoa.

So far, the 4 1/2-foot-high wall has been modified twice. However, the county will ask for yet another change to help improve things for drivers, Ochoa said.

The first change was made after a complaint came through Supervisor Thomas F. Riley’s office a few weeks ago. The wall was found to be violating the county’s rules that ensure drivers have a good line of sight to see oncoming traffic.

When another complaint came in, the county re-examined the situation there. The new problem was found to be that drivers at that stop sign were making unusual right turns, Ochoa said.

Normally, most drivers stop at a crosswalk or limit line, then creep forward a few feet (but not into the intersection) to watch for oncoming traffic before turning, Ochoa said. County line-of-sight rules take into consideration the fact that drivers move forward like this, he said.

At Santa Maria, drivers are stopping at the crosswalk, then immediately turning right. If they would creep forward, they would be able to see opposing traffic, Ochoa said.

Given this situation, the county requested that the wall be changed again, which was done. Still, it wasn’t changed enough to aid drivers who don’t move forward past the limit line. So, once again, the county will request that the wall be revamped, Ochoa said.

In the meantime, those encountering problems should stop at the crosswalk, then move forward again to look for opposing traffic. If the coast is clear, you’ll be on your way.

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Dear Street Smart:

I am concerned about a new freeway ramp being constructed on the Santa Ana Freeway at Barranca Parkway. It appears that drivers will be able to both enter and exit from the innermost lanes by using this ramp.

I see a potential for head-on collisions, as cars will be entering or leaving the freeway at high speed. There is a concrete guardrail installed only about halfway down the ramp, in the middle of it.

Gary Striano, Orange

Caltrans intends to extend that guardrail by an additional 500 feet, toward Barranca. That should help ensure that cars don’t hit head on.

That ramp, by the way, is specially designed to allow access to the car-pool lanes that will appear along the Santa Ana Freeway. There are only a few similar ramps in the state, and this is Orange County’s first. It will open in October, 1992, according to Caltrans. Car poolers heading northbound can use the ramp to enter the freeway, and those coming southbound can use it to exit.