California closing road due to road rage incidents

[n2doc]

A cure for road rage: close road
With angry drivers attacking flagmen, Caltrans will shut down part of California 138 until a project is done.
By Hector Becerra and Tony Barboza, Times Staff Writers
June 7, 2007

It started last year when Caltrans began widening California 138, a main east-west route in Southern California's fast-growing high desert region.

Motorists angry at construction delays threatened road workers and damaged equipment. Also, flagmen have been attacked in what officials describe as bizarre incidents of road rage. Two workers were hit by cars and a third was shot with a BB gun.

Now in an unprecedented response to ill will, Caltrans has announced it will close a portion of the highway beginning Monday to complete the project.

California 138 connects two of Southern California's fastest-growing areas — the Antelope Valley communities of Palmdale and Lancaster and Inland Empire's high desert region. But the rural highway has become a major commuter route, and that has caused problems.

"This is growing pains," said Dennis Green, a Caltrans consultant on the $44-million widening project. "People here are not used to having congestion like they had in Los Angeles. It's here now, and they're having to learn how to cope with it."

The highway project is a modest attempt to improve safety on the mostly two-lane route long known by locals as "Blood Alley" and "California Deathway" because of the number of accidents.

For years, officials have talked about turning it into a full-fledged freeway, but the funding has never been available. A slew of new subdivisions in north Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire is prompting the latest push for a better road, perhaps a toll road connecting Palmdale and Victorville.

"There's going to be tremendous growth in the future," said Brian Lin, transportation planning manager for the Metropolitan Transportation Agency. "Right now, it's not too bad, but if there's construction that blocks a road, then you run into problems."

Road crews had no idea what they were in for when work began on the 138.

Flagmen working for contractor Skanska Inc. were soon targeted as tempers began to flare.

They were cursed at and had objects, including a burrito, flung at them. Other workers' equipment was sabotaged.

One motorist threatened to climb a water tower and shoot workers with a high-powered rifle, said Terri Kasinga, a Caltrans spokeswoman.

more:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-roadrage7jun07,0,6659425.story

[Fridays Child]

1. This is just insane and I'm glad the road is closed.

What the hell is wrong with people?

[Merlot]

2. Ever been to Lancaster or Palmdale?

[Gold Metal Flake]

4. Indeed.

.

[Fridays Child]

7. Yes. Why?

[Squatch]

3. I've been to Victorville

specifically the National Training Center at Ft Irwin...why anybody would want to move out there is beyond me. :puke:

[Solo_in_MD]

6. there is a serene beauty and quiet in the desert, not to mention great solar potential

[kimmylavin]

9. I agree.

Like I said below, I live there. :)
And if there ever was an area with the potential for both solar and wind power, this is it.
We're rebuilding our whole house, and making plans for both.

[kimmylavin]

8. Um, I live there.

Actually, I live in Lake Elizabeth, but please don't judge us all by the nutsos.

Why anyone would want to move here?
Let's see...
I live on a golf course with a view of a lake.
Its quiet, and breezy, and there's wildlife all over the place.
The people in the area are friendly and take care of each other.
We bought a three bedroom house on a half-acre for what may have gotten us a one-bedroom condo in a dodgy part of LA.

I have no explanation for attacking Caltrans workers, but then again, California itself is famous for bizarre road rage...

[The2ndWheel]

5. "There's going to be tremendous growth in the future,"

:spray:

If that's the case we're all in more trouble. I would expect nothing less though.

[A HERETIC I AM]

10. I used to drive CA 138 2 or 3 times a week and i bet i know exactly where the problems are....

If you look at a map of 138 on Mapquest (Search "Pinon Hills, CA") the section from where CA Rt. 2 splits off to Interstate 5 is downhill all the way to I5. From the top of the hill for the next 2 miles or so, the grade exceeds 7% and prior to this widening, there was virtually no shoulder.
This pic shows the exact spot i am talking about;


At the bottom of the steep part of the grade is a single passing lane for northbound traffic that lasts only a mile or so. That passing lane is around the corner at the top of that photo. Again, the roadway you are looking at in that picture is at least a 7% grade, probably closer to 9%) Heading from I5 toward Palmdale on 138 can save a lot of time (The alternative is driving all the way up to Victorville and taking CA rte 18 across) but that steep grade slows heavy trucks to a crawl and traffic can back up quite a bit. This was an inherently dangerous road and i saw many, many incidents of impatience that led to near crashes.

The other traffic issue with this road is that it leads to Rte.2 which takes you up to Wrightwood which is a neat little mountain town with several pubs and galleries. In the Summer, Rte 2 makes a wonderful days drive from Rte 138 all the way to the town of La Canada-Flintridge, near Pasadena. On any given summer Saturday, thousands of motorcycles will cruise the windy, up and down road known as the "Pacific Crest Highway". I have driven it many times in the Corvette i used to own. Also, past Wrightwood is where the popular Ski areas are located that operate close enough to LA as to be one of the few places in the world one can go Skiing and then go to the beach on the same day. 138 is the primary access road for skiers coming from San Bernardino and elsewhere in the LA basin.

I am glad i no longer have to drive 138 but it is good they are widening it. It truly needed this improvement.