Road Work May Uncover Obstacles

Dear Traffic Talk:

Is there a city ordinance that mandates a minimum time between when a street is prepared for resurfacing with the top layer of asphalt “skinned off” and when new pavement is applied?

In the past decade or so, I have never seen a period of less than five weeks between these two events. I would estimate the norm for having a street in a condition where any vehicle crossing into the repair site is subject to severe damage is two months.

--Michael J. Allegretti

Northridge

Dear Michael:

Usually, new pavement is added to rough roads after four to six weeks, said Robert Reed, a spokesman for the city Department of Public Works. Street preparation crews that dig out the old road and prepare it for repaving sometimes find unexpected obstacles, such as a water main pipe, he said. By giving street preparation workers time to take care of any complications, Reed said, resurfacing crews may lay the new asphalt without delay.

Dear Traffic Talk:

When traveling east on Avenue J-8 in Lancaster, there is a small side street just before a traffic light at 10th Street West. At the side street, which has no traffic signal, a sign says “Wait Here” and a white line marks where vehicles must stop.

If you are going to turn right on a red light at 10th Street West, do you have to remain behind the line at the preceding side street until the light turns green?

--Vincent White

Lancaster

Dear Vincent:

A driver should continue to 10th Street West to turn right when its traffic signal is red as long as a complete stop is made at the preceding side street, said Sgt. Gus Risinger, head of the Lancaster traffic section for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

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