Drivers in San Jose exploiting unfinished striping, cause traffic mess

Q: There’s a problem stemming from a new building that has recently become occupied at the corner of Leigh and Moorpark Avenues in San Jose. It seems the city failed to complete restriping work on northbound Leigh Avenue to restore the right turn pocket that was closed off during construction of the building. There is no red curb or signage indicating that parking is prohibited at any time within the pocket. As a result, a solid line of vehicles is parked in the pocket 24×7, causing right-turning traffic to back up into the adjacent through lane.

I called the city and was advised it could take six to eight weeks just for someone to take a look at the situation. I’m hoping you can get them moving on this ASAP, since someone in the streets department dropped the ball and should correct the problem post haste.

D.J. Martin, San Jose

A: There will be “No Stopping Anytime” signs installed at this location. The work order is in and they should be installed soon.

Q: I have lived close to Saratoga Avenue for over 35 years. Recently some birdbrain decided to restripe Saratoga Avenue from Moorpark Avenue to Prospect Avenue. It has gone from three perfectly flowing lanes down to two. It has made it not only hazardous, but totally inconvenient if you’re traveling on Saratoga. Was this a state mandate or did the city have some idea that this would help traffic flow? I travel on Saratoga Avenue at least 2 to 3 times a day and it is nothing but a bottleneck now. I’d like to know the reasoning behind this.

Carol Ann Butler, San Jose

A: When Mrs. Roadshow and I first drove on Saratoga after the restriping, she also expressed frustration at the loss of a lane, and asked why it was changed. “To make it safer for bicycles,” I said, though I’m not sure that’s the full reason for the change. She misses the third lane, but acknowledged the need for the road to bike-friendly, as well.