What can be done to make Highway 17 less hazardous?: Roadshow
Q: Having lived in the Bay Area for a number of decades, I have traveled on a number of highways. I believe one of the worst stretches, if not the worst, is Highway 17 between Los Gatos and Scotts Valley.
Even though there has been improvement here by placing a barrier and/or increasing the height of the barrier between the opposing Highway 17 lanes, accidents continue unabated. To ameliorate this problem, I would like to recommend that a new three-lane highway be constructed in both directions, with a shoulder on both sides.
Sheridan Mowrer, Dublin
A: The highway will not be widened in this area. However, in the next year or so, work will begin to improve the Highway 17-Highway 9 interchange.
This is part of the implementation of a long-range plan, the Highway 17 Access Management Plan. Full implementation of the plan will take many years, and cost more than $300 million. The goals are to improve traffic flow, provide strategic accessibility, and maintain safety on 17. Three new interchanges will be built at Old Santa Cruz Highway, Laurel Road/Sugarloaf Road/Glenwood Cutoff, and Vine Hill Road. In exchange, many left turns will be eliminated.
Q: Twenty-five years ago my Honda Prelude was totaled and I was nearly killed on the infamous second blind curve northbound on 17 between the Summit and Redwood Estates. Aside from the fact that the investigating officer never mentioned the bald tire on the lady’s car that spun out in the rain and caused the accident (why doesn’t California inspect autos? Hawaii and other states do), nothing has been done in all those years about the short line-of-sight danger there. There is still a confining wall on each side of the roadway, as well as undulating pavement. How many have been killed there, and why is it not improved? It will happen again.
Robert Wahler
A: This is definitely one of the high-accident areas on 17. There is always more that can be done to make it safer, but some improvements have been made, including anti-skid pavement, more warning signs about reducing speeds on curves, and trimming roadside plant growth to improve line-of-sight.
Q: If you’re driving on Highway 17, please do not honk or flash your lights at the car in front of you. There is a reason they are driving that slow. If you want to go faster, wait for a chance to move around them safely. It’s just rude to honk or flash your lights and you can cause an accident!
Arianna Olson
A: I agree with you. In addition, on 17 it is safer to drive in the right lane and use the left lane to pass, then to move right again.
Look for Gary Richards at Facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at mrroadshow@bayareanewsgroup.com.