The number of roundabouts controlling traffic at intersections is growing, in California and in the entire US.  Roundabouts have a long track record of safety improvement at intersections, greatly reducing the number of fatalities and serious injuries when they are deployed.  Roundabouts can be recognized because there are Yield signs on all approaches to roundabouts (no Stop signs), and there is usually a raised island to the left of each driver approaching the intersections that guides them...
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From a friend.  Makes me wonder if this part of Ukraine has really thick fog or storms so heavy that normal traffic signal lights aren't visible.  Or maybe it's just something their tourist bureau wanted!  Festive, though!  


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Caltrans is experimenting with using recycled plastic in pavement.  In a test project, California is adding melted recycled plastic to Hot Mix Asphalt.  Wouldn't that be wonderful if it turned out to be a win-win and we got better, more durable pavement while also finding a use for used plastics?  
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/transportation/back-seat-driver/article244614807.html#:~:text=Back%2DSeat%20Driver-,Caltrans%20using%20old%20bottles%20to%20resurface,highway%20in%20eco%2Dfriendly%...
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One of my least favorite aspects of my profession is that traffic signals are just not attractive.  But the City of Breckenridge CO may have found a way.  Put up so many lights when decorating the town that the signal lights become part of the festivities!  
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The California High Speed Rail authority has just announced decisions on rail alignments.  See https://hsr.ca.gov/high_speed_rail/project_sections/sf_sj.aspx  for information on any segment.  
I'm still of the opinion that High Speed Rail is worth supporting.  There is huge demand for travel from northern and southern CA, which is expected to continue growing well past the capacity of SF Bay Area airports.  I-5 and US-101 are already jam packed for way too many hours of the day.  So IMO the de...
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There's a new article about a decision to build a diverging diamond interchange in Berkeley, and it highlights concerns some drivers might have about a layout that is new and unknown.  See here for the article, and a picture of a diverging diamond interchange.  I learned about this style of interchange in a conference a couple years ago.  People in the audience spoke up about the experience of driving through one.  They were unanimous that all you do is follow the stripes and curbs like you u...
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A little translation humor to lighten your day.  


Actually from Hungary, and you can guess the translation!
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Here's a fun map about the history of highways in the US.  Enjoy! 

https://www.facebook.com/amazingmap1/videos/790272761352367/

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Here's a fun map about the history of highways in the US.  Enjoy!
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Funding available in California for street and highway maintenance comes primarily from gas tax revenue, supplemented by local agency general funds.   The gas tax revenue has been shrinking for years in proportion to the number of vehicles on the road, as fuel efficiency has improved and hybrid and electric vehicles have become increasingly common.  Senate Bill 1 was passed last year to bring revenue for maintenance by increasing the gas tax rate and by greatly increasing the registration fee...
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The City of San Jose's website has a phone number and email address to report concerns about traffic signal timing.  I just called about an issue I have noticed at the intersection of Fruitdale Avenue and Meridian Avenue, and spoke with a very helpful man who told me the traffic signal coordination plan had recently been updated and the City is still fine tuning, and he would write up a work order to look into my concern.   If you have a question about traffic signal timing at an intersection...
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Botts dots, otherwise known as raised pavement markers, are being phased out by Caltrans and many local agencies.  These dots, named for long-retired Caltrans engineer Elbert Botts who invented them about 50 years ago, have been the primary warning device since then for drivers who were drifting out of their lanes.  Now, two factors are behind the change to reflective and wider lane lines:  1. elder drivers have an easier time seeing the reflective paint, and 2. self-driving cars can't see th...
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There's a great article today about various cars in the US that offer self-driving features.  https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/car-tech/what-weve-learned-from-tesla-and-other-self-driving-system-crashes/ar-AAyqWFy?ocid=spartandhp  Some drivers appear to be treating these features like they are more than bleeding edge technology.  It appears the industry is still young and drivers need to continue to be responsible for themselves for a while longer.   

My own experience in a new car with advance...
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Jaywalking is defined as crossing a street while not at an intersection or in a striped crosswalk, and this is not a simple question to answer.   In general, California law does not prohibit jaywalking unless you are between two signalized intersections.  https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=21955.&lawCode=VEH If so, you must use the signalized crossing.  

However, if jaywalking, pedestrians Do Not have right-of-way like they do in a legal crossing.  I...
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Interesting video from California HSR today about a ribbon cutting at the Tuolumne Street bridge in Fresno, CA.   The bridge goes over the existing tracks and looks to have more clearance than the old bridge.   Posting because I just like the video.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJPMzhxj8Sk&feature=youtu.be
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The US House of Representatives has passed a bill that would set strict approval guidelines for self-driving cars. (See http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-selfdriving-idUSKBN1962YV). The legislation was requested by the developers of self-driving cars so they can work with one national guideline instead of multiple guidelines adopted by the States. It is not clear if this legislation will ever become law as setting driving rules has long been the responsibility of the States and rules are ...
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According to a new article summarizing data from the Governors Highway Safety Association, blood tests of blood from the bodies of fatally injured drivers is showing that drugs are not more commonly found (43 percent of the time) than alcohol (37% of the time). That's a stark turn-around in the last 10 years or so, when in 2005 drugs were found in just 28 percent of drivers and alcohol in 41 percent. See http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/tiger-woods-and-americas-drugged-driving-problem/ar-BB...
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Installation of Flashing Yellow Arrow (FYA) signals is becoming more common in California and other states.  Drivers are familiar with the typical 3-section left turn signal, with red at the top, yellow (amber) in the middle, and green at the bottom.  The FYA left turn signal is a 4-section head, including the three familiar sections plus an added yellow section that flashes instead of displaying a steady arrow.
 
For a great informational video on how they work, visit http://srcity.org/909/Fla...
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Rising sea levels make many of our transportation facilities vulnerable.   In the SF Bay Area, parts of US-101 near SFO, Route 237, and I-880 are close enough to sea level to be of concern.  The Port of Oakland is an international port, crucial to the economic vitality of a fairly large swath of the country, is also vulnerable.  Now with grant funding from the Rockefeller Foundation, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission has launched a creative thinking/design competition to help our inf...
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A few weeks back I was interviewed by a reporter from Wired Magazine.  The on-line article is at https://www.wired.com/brandlab/2016/11/building-better-safer-greener-fast-lane/

Take a look!
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Also known as a HAWK Beacon, it is a device installed at crosswalks when a regular traffic signal is not appropriate but something more than flashing lights is needed.  Caltrans made a video for people who want to know more.   Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdauhuZaChM&feature=youtu.be
to see what might be installed in a city near you in the near future.    
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The Town of Moraga had a very rare occurrence of a sink hole opening up in the same location as a traffic signal pole.   My guess is that the soil around the traffic signal pole gradually washed away until there wasn't enough left to hold up the signal pole any more.   For those that don't know, the foundation for the traffic signal pole is about 9 feet deep and 2 feet around.  For the full story see http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Sinkhole-in-Moraga-swallows-light-pole-and-breaks-68888...
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For those who have not seen it yet, here is a photo of the new median barrier that was installed on the Golden Gate bridge a month ago.  
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The Three Feet for Safety act became law in California on September 14, 2014.  It requires drivers to stay at least three feet away from a bicyclist who is moving in the same direction when the driver is overtaking and passing the bicyclist.  The text of the act is now part of the Vehicle Code and can be seen at https://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21760.htm

The law imposes a $35 fine for drivers who pass too close if the bicyclist is not injured, and $220 if the bicyclist is injured, unles...
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There are signalized pedestrian crossings in many large cities.  Getting pedestrians to take full advantage of the signals and stay safe is often a challenge.  Here is how one US city is being creative:

http://howtoinstructions.tips/this-dancing-crosswalk-signal-is-designed-to-keep-pedestrians-safe-and-happy/

And here is an alternative from Germany:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3Ozz6_pdMI

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A new article http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/new-cars/auto-news/read-this-couples-story-before-you-text-behind-the-wheel/article16591816/?goback=%2Egde_166463_member_5834872967552577538 discusses the rise of texting while driving as a leading cause of traffic deaths, already eclipsing drunk driving in some jurisdictions.  If you really need to read or send a text, please pull over safely first. 

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Question: Why is it some days traffic on the freeway is very slow and other days it moves well in the same locations? 

Answer:  That's a question with a lot of possible answers!  Today (Columbus Day) I drove from Santa Clara County to Oakland.  The drive usually takes about 1 hour 15 minutes in the morning peak.  Today it was less than an hour.  Traffic was a little lighter than usual because a few folks get Columbus Day off but the big difference was on northbound I-880 between I-238 and I-9...
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A recent Gallop poll asked respondents to rate how much they trust various professions.  (See http://www.gallup.com/poll/1654/honesty-ethics-professions.aspx#1)   Engineers ranked the fourth highest out of 22 general profession categories.  In the historical trend data summary (see picture) it is clear the trend has been upward for the last several years.  The results of this poll warm my heart, so thank you!  


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Question:  How do the traffic reporters get the current information on freeway congestion for their reports?  

Answer:  There are a few different sources.  The main one is detectors in the pavement that constantly measure speed and send the data to a Traffic Management Center.  In the SF Bay Area Caltrans has a Regional Traffic Management Center in their headquarters building in Oakland.   http://transportationnation.org/2012/04/26/decoding-the-mysteries-of-bay-area-traffic/tmc-main-pc/ 

 The d...
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Copper wire theft is impacting the budgets and safety of many cities.  A recent editorial (http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_21399566/steve-scauzillo-put-moratorium-metal-recycling?IADID=Search-www.pasadenastarnews.com-www.pasadenastarnews.com) has highlighted proposed legislation to overhaul the metal recycling industry.  By Assembly member Norma Torres  (http://asmdc.org/members/a61/news-room/press-releases/item/2932-senate-committee-fails-to-approve-bill-to-stop-copper-thieves) would have...
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A new article cites a growing trend of pedestrians getting injured because their attention is entirely focused on their electronic devices and not on their surroundings.   http://news.yahoo.com/distracted-pedestrians-stumble-danger-123228742.html  Falling into the tracks at a subway station, a few months back I saw someone fall into a fountain at a shopping mall while completely focused on a text, or entering intersections against the traffic light.  The article says there is no pending legis...
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I-5 in Oregon is newly equipped with high speed electric vehicle charging stations.  They are spaced 25 miles apart and can charge an electric car in about 20 minutes.  See http://www.tricityvoice.com/articlefiledisplay.php?issue=2012-03-30&file=Electric+Highway+++TCV.txt or  http://westcoastgreenhighway.com/electrichighways.htm
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Question:  There is new striping on Route 237 near I-880.  It's a double white stripe between the HOV lane and adjacent lane.  What's it mean?  

Answer:  The changes were made in advance of a new Toll lane that is being implemented by VTA.  Thanks to Sgt. Hagen at the California Highway Patrol who pointed me at the right section of the California Vehicle Code.  CVC 21655.8.a says a fine can be issued to drivers who cross a double white line to enter or exit the HOV lane.  Entry or exit can onl...
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Question:  There seem to be a bunch of streetlights that have gone dark in my neighborhood. What's up?  

Answer:  The company I work for, Republic ITS/Siemens, maintains streetlights for many local agencies.  We have been getting a rash of calls this month to repair streetlights that have gone dark.  In many cases, we are finding that the wires that power the lights have been stolen out of the underground conduits.  

Wire theft has become a pervasive and very expensive problem for many cities s...
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Question:  How do I find out where fatal accidents occur?  

Answer:  The Institute of Transportation Engineers, my professional society, just sent out a link to an interactive web page that shows locations of all collisions that resulted in a fatality from 2001 to 2009.  You can search for your city or a major city near you, or just double click to zoom in on a specific location.  http://map.itoworld.com/road-casualties-usa shows the data prepared by a British company called ITO World for the ...
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Having recently helped my mom find alternatives to driving her own car, an article in the paper today caught my eye.  http://www.tricityvoice.com/articlefiledisplay.php?issue=2011-10-14&file=Driving+++TCV.txt  Written from the perspective of an elder care provider, the wisdom and compassion in the article can be quite helpful.  For example:
***We all equate the act of driving to being free and independent. In talking with our parents about driving, we need to be respectful and understand that ...
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California is venturing into the world of High Speed Rail service.  It's a great time for new infrastructure, since three of the biggest components of a rail system are cheap right now because of the bad economy.  These are the land, design costs, and construction costs.  The Rail Authority has published Environmental Studies of each segment.  You can find the summaries at:
Merced-Fresno Segment: http://dl5.activatedirect.com/fs/d:l/zldcq52sh4xsbf/zws1qysokgjo17/2
Fresno-Bakersfield Segment:  h...
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Many of my conversations with friends and associates are about what a Civil Engineer does.  The simple answer is that we build the infrastructure that cities need.  Whether it be roads and bridges, water distribution, wastewater processing, airports, freight systems, you name it, a Civil Engineer was involved.  The next question that comes up is typically, why are there so many potholes?  

One national society that represents Civil Engineers is the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).  ...
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Question:  I'm driving on San Carlos Avenue toward El Camino (toward the RR station) and want to make a right turn onto Laurel Street. I'm stopped for a red light and the crossing signal changes from the little silver pedestrian to the red hand indicating that pedestrians should not start to cross the street. I am just about to start a right turn when all of a sudden a pedestrian appears next to me and presses the traffic button. I'm not expecting the pedestrian to try to cross the street aga...
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Question:  Just curious if you know how I might go about reporting a traffic signal that is malfunctioning. I was going west on Stevens Creek earlier today and got to Woodhams and the light on the far left was signaling for the eastbound traffic, not westbound, even though it's facing westbound. It's far off to the side so probably won't cause any confusion, but just seemed odd.
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Question:  Why are they always right in front of me?  Those drivers who for no apparent reason seem to slow down until they are going 10 mph below the prevailing speed?  

Answer:  We've all been stuck behind people who think their cell phone use is not a problem.  Some of us will also admit we are sometimes the problem.  Thanks to Ken Krantz for this heads up:  

Starting today and throughout the month, the CHP will join local and statewide agencies in "zero-tolerance" enforcements on distracted...

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It's been raining a lot in the SF Bay Area lately.  That means the ground is saturated with rain water.  Now the rain has stopped and all that water is showing up as low fog, especially during the morning commute.  Here are a couple safety tips:
1. Keep a squeegie in your car.  If your windows are misted over in the morning, clean them off before driving.  2. Remember that a lot of folks will not have a squeegie, so keep your headlights on when it's foggy.  Even if you can see just fine, havin...
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Question:  If I have a complaint about a traffic signal being too long or too short and I
want to complain about it, where do I need to go and what do I need to do?

Answer:  First you need to know what City the intersection is in so you know which agency has jurisdiction.  Then go to that agency.  If the intersection is on a State Highway such as El Camino Real, Caltrans has jurisdiction.  You can submit a maintenance request at http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/maint/msrsubmit/.  If it's on a County Ex...
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Question:  I notice that many drivers don't seem to know how to merge on to the freeway.  What's the ideal method?  

Answer:  A recent survey (http://www.ite.org/itejournal/1011.asp) found that about 70% of drivers do know how to enter a freeway.  That means roughly 1 out of 3 do not.   The Califoria Driver's Handbook says - Enter the freeway at or near the speed of traffic. (Remember that the maximum speed allowed is 65 mph on most freeways.) Do not stop before merging into freeway traffic un...
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"A road safety charity has warned motorists that glare from the sun creates more dangers than driving at night or in bad weather.  From the UK, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), Neil Greig, IAM director of policy and research, said: ''We can't change the position of the sun, or the need to travel at certain times, but there are simple steps you can take to ensure you're prepared for these conditions.

''Keep your windscreen clean, both inside and out. On de-mist, your heater blows traf...

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Making good choices is key to the theme "Don't be Driven to Distraction - Drive to Arrive" for the 10th Anniversary of Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day - October 10, 2010

Try to think of some of the significant things you have done that started with an initial action, the first step or the first day. Maybe it was a case where you quit smoking or even better yet put away your cell phone after nearly crashing into car with a mother and children in it that you said "never again will I use a cel...

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Question:  So,there must be a traffic engineer out there who can answer THIS question. If 10 percent of people check their email on iphones or droids or blackberries while at stoplights, how much does that slow down traffic overall in a typical large city?
Answer:  In Traffic Operations class, we learned that reaction time (about 1/2 second to recognize that the light turned green and another 1/2 second to move a foot to the gas pedal and start pressing) accounts for about 1% of the typical tr...
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Question:  Will I get a ticket if I drive in a solid-white painted lane while exiting a freeway?  I drive off of 85 South and want to turn right onto Blossom Hill Rd. There is plenty of room to turn right and tons of people do it all of the time but I don't know if it's legal or not.

Answer:  The photo shows the turn you are asking about.  People are using the shoulder as a second right turn lane.  The vehicle code says it is legal to use the shoulder for right turns but only for 200 feet in...

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Question:  I travel the same route to work on the same streets and at approximately at the same time 5 days a week. So here it is a holiday week and yes, traffic is lighter but then that gets me into work earlier. Why is it sometimes left-hand signals will be quick and other times they TAKE FOREVER. Is it lighter traffic not triggering the signal or is it time of day?

Answer:  The easy part of your question is the very last.  A traffic signal detector, with very few exceptions, is binary.  Y...

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Question:  When Caltrans knows of a big traffic congestion problem, for example at 880 and Stevens Creek (the exit to Valley Fair and Santana Row), what organizations are involved to fix that kind of a big congestion problem? How long would it take, once approvals were passed, would it take to construct the solution?

Answer:  Great question for Mr. Roadshow of the SJ Mercury News.  Gary Richards just published some great news for you (posted 12/17/09):

“Bay Area transportation planners ha...

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The quick answer is that traffic signals are installed when "an engineering study indicates that installing a traffic control signal will improve the overall safety and/or operation of the intersection."  In other words, when volumes and congestion get high enough, or when the number of correctable crashes exceeds a certain amount, a traffic signal will improve safety and operations.  

Many local agencies monitor unsignalized intersections on an annual basis, keeping track of traffic volumes a...
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Question:  People were flashing their headlights at me all day yesterday.  Why?  

Answer:  You may have been driving in the rain without your headlights on.  California has a somewhat new law (passed in July 2005) that requires drivers to have their headlights on when weather is wet enough for use of your wipers.  The justification is simple, a moving car is easier to see when its headlights are on.  In wet, foggy, or misty weather, visibility is less than it is on a clear day.  Compensate for...
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Question:  Freeway access to Valley Fair Mall in San Jose is so bad I never shop there.  Why can’t someone build new ramps from northbound I-280 to Winchester Boulevard? 

Answer:  The brief answer is that the on-ramps to northbound I-280 from I-880 would be too close to these new off-ramps and create a dangerous weave pattern in the traffic.  Note that in the diagram below the traffic streams from A to D and from B to C have to cross within the distance labeled as the Weaving Area.  As lon...

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Question:  How do the radio stations and TV stations know when there are traffic jams? Are there sensors in the street itself? Do they all go to websites where all of the cameras we see on the signal lights are coordinated and the information goes to one place? Is there one centralized place where all of these people go to for their information? Do they have to call or go to all the different websites?  Is it true what you see on TV or in the movies how people can hack into one place and see ...

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Question:  Do slower moving cars need to keep right?

 

Answer:  Section 21654 of the California Vehicle Code says:  (a) Notwithstanding the prima facie speed limits, any vehicle proceeding upon a highway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at such time shall be driven in the right-hand lane for traffic or as close as practicable to the right-hand edge or curb

 

The word “Notwithstanding” means that even if a driver is moving 70 mph in a posted 70...

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Question:  How does a traffic signal work and why don’t I get a green when I’m on a motorcycle?

 

Answer:  The short answer is traffic signals work just like a person would who is directing traffic.  First it “sees” a vehicle that needs a green, then it provides the green.  Most traffic signals “see” with detector loops that are buried in the pavement.  These loops detect masses of conductive metal.  They detect large masses, like cars or trucks, very well.  If properly installed...

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Question:   When can I drive in a bicycle lane?

 

Answer:  A bicycle lane has a 6-inch wide white line on the left side, and often has pavement markings with the work BIKE or BIKE LANE and a arrow showing the proper direction of travel (see photo).  It may also have Bike Lane signage, a white sign with black text. 

 

According to California Vehicle Code 21209, it is never legal to drive in a bicycle lane except:

 

(1) To park where parking is permitted.

(...

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Question:  I see PE following your name or other names.  What is a PE?

 Answer:  PE = Professional Engineer

http://www.pels.ca.gov/about_us/mission_vision.shtml  has a sort of overview of what we're all about.  Basically, people who are in professions where mistakes can cause serious problems or injuries get licensed.  

Civil Engineers are by far the most common type of PE.  Electrical engineers (dot commers are an exception that do not need licenses) and Mechanical Engineers are the next la...