Tag Archives: traffic

Paving Construction 7/3/19; Delays Expected

Courtesy City of Eastvale

Sendero Development will perform paving activities on Harrison Avenue between Limonite Avenue and Blossom Way. Please be advised that traffic delays are to be expected.
Location: Harrison Avenue between Limonite Avenue and Blossom Way
Duration: July 3, 2019
Time: 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Traffic Impacts & Advisories During Construction:
Lane closures on Harrison Avenue between Limonite Avenue and Blossom Way with one lane open. Noise levels will be monitored to ensure work performed is within the necessary compliance levels.
Please obey all posted construction signs, drive safely and do not enter the construction work zone.
For known delays in traffic, plan accordingly by taking alternate routes and allowing more time for travel. For additional information, contact the City of Eastvale Public Works Department at 951.703.4470. We appreciate your patience and cooperation through this inconvenience.
Note: Construction schedules are subject to change for various reasons including but not limited to: weather conditions, unforeseen emergencies and other acts of nature.

Chino Hills: Watch For Lower Speed Limits

STAFF REPORTS

speed limitsChino Hills – Motorists may notice speed limit signs with bright orange flags on some arterial streets in Chino Hills. The flags have been installed to draw attention to new lower speed limits.

The California Vehicle Code requires that the City set speed limits based upon the 85th percentile, which is the speed at – or below which – 85 percent of the traffic is moving.

New Engineering and Traffic surveys were recently completed, and some speed limits will be lowered as a result. In most cases, speed limits were reduced to enhance public safety due to accident history, the proximity of schools or driveways, roadway curves, visibility, or roadway conditions.

chino-hills-speed-limits

Diamond Bar: Freeway Construction Projects A Go

STAFF REPORTS

(Image Courtesy: Caltrans)

(Image Courtesy: Caltrans)

Diamond Bar – The City of Diamond Bar was recently notified that a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant (TIGER) was awarded by the federal government in the amount of $10 million for the 57/60 freeway confluence construction project.

According to City staff, the program was created by the 2009 Economic Stimulus Bill, which allows states and cities to apply for funding for transportation projects that have a significant impact on the nation, a metropolitan area or a region.

The confluence project is designed to improve traffic operation on Grand Avenue from Golden Springs Drive to the interchange at SR-60 in Pomona, increase the capacity at the Grand Avenue Interchange, improve traffic operation on the freeway mainline, reduce traffic weaving and increase weaving distance, and improve safety.

David Liu, Public Works Director for the City, said the application process was an incredibly competitive process. This is the sixth year of the grant program, and the City’s second try in pursuing this grant. $600 million in grant dollars were appropriated in the current grant cycle. 72 projects were selected from the U.S. Department of Transportation, with grants awarded from applications in 49 states. Liu added that the award validates the project as a national priority.

The grant will be matched with $4.5 million in Los Angeles County MTA funds, $10.6 million in City of Industry funds, and $9.4 million in federal funds – for a total of $34.5 million – to be used for the ongoing project. The funds will be used to implement the first three phases of the project to accelerate the congestion relief, starting in early 2016.

“The folks that travel that every day probably would attest to the fact that it is the seventh most congested interchange in the United States,” said Mayor Pro Tem Steve Tye. “It will get worse before it gets better, but now we know that the funding is there and it’s on the horizon to get better.”

Along with this confluence comes the agreement between Diamond Bar and the City of Industry to move ahead with new interchange on the 60 Freeway, at Lemon Avenue, helping to alleviate the traffic on Brea Canyon Road. The interchange will include a westbound on-ramp, eastbound on-ramp, and an eastbound off-ramp.

This Lemon Interchange construction project will match Diamond Bar’s Metro Prop C funds in the amount of $405,430, with $80,725 from the City of Industry, and $1,751,045 in federal right-of-way funds. The right-of-way phase should begin in June of 2015, with completion scheduled for January 2017.

 

 

 

 

Orange County Toll Roads: Thousands of Violations?

STAFF REPORTS

 

(Photo Courtesy: Online.com)

(Photo Courtesy: Online.com)

Orange County – The website, www.thetollroads.com, states, “Sign up and drive today! With the end of cash toll collection, now all drivers enjoy a nonstop, stress free, time saving, reliable commute on The Toll Roads.” However, the “stress free” part might be a bit of a premature tagline.

In recent reports there have been as many as 17,000 violations in a single day since Orange County toll roads recently eliminated manned cash-collecting toll booths and became all electronic. Because of this transition, some of the fees are being waived for first-timers, but toll agencies are going to start enforcing penalties soon enough.

The Transportation Corridor Agency has eliminated the manpower in favor of electronic signaling for which commuters can utilize a special transponder, or pre-pay tolls online. There are always violations that occur in the toll roads, but the new system is obviously a source of mass confusion. Many drivers have been reported pulled over on the side of the road near the electronic booths trying to figure out what to do. With an estimated 250,000 motorists using the four Orange County toll roads each day, that’s a lot of perplexity.

If you sign up for an account online and provide bank or credit card debit access, you can receive a transponder and not worry too much about it. Those without accounts are required to pay one-time tolls online within 48 hours of their usage or suffer the consequences.

The agencies are trying to educate consumers on the new system and assist with the transition. For now they are said to be waiving the $57.50 violation penalty fee through Labor Day, as long as the toll is paid within a 30 day time frame. They are also installing more signage, and flashing information on nearby freeway information boards to help guide those heading for the toll booths.

It makes sense that the confusion has added significantly to the number of calls coming into the toll agencies. They have temporarily increased customer service representatives to help alleviate the backlog and provide assistance.

Visit wwwthetollroads.com to gather more information. You can pay online, or even download their payment app, One-Time Toll, to help you on your way. Just remember, don’t stop at the booth, just head on through or you’ll hold up the line. If you go through a toll booth, you’ll have to pay it in some fashion. With a little patience and education, it can be penalty-free.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walnut: Timberline Community Speaks Up Against Mt. SAC

BY RAYMOND MENDOZA

 

Mt. SAC-Parking-lot

Current Parking Lot at Mt. SAC (Photo Courtesy: Robert Mendoza)

Walnut – While a population increase at Mt. San Antonio College might be seen as a good idea for some, residents of the Timberline Community just north of the campus are voicing their wishes to limit enrollment- claiming that the population has become so large that it is causing high amounts of traffic, collisions, and crime in the City.

Resident complaints are stemming from the campus’ plan to build a three-level parking structure on the north side of campus, saying that congestion is so bad on Grand Avenue and Mountaineer Road that the structure would be better suited for a spot on W. Temple Avenue.

In recent months, various residents of the Timberline Community have flocked to Walnut City Council meetings to ask for the aide of the City in stopping Mt. SAC’s growth and to move the parking structure away from the Timberline Communities.

Timberline resident, Linda Hiti, called Mt. SAC a “parasite” because they are using the city’s resources and not paying their fair share. “In 2009, they cancelled a budgeted sheriff item, and now they [Mt. SAC] are congesting our streets and the Sheriff is sometimes responding up to four times in one day,” she said.

“They need to relocate the parking structure to the south side of Temple,” Hiti said. “They need to cap their enrollment at 60,000 and if they want to expand their enrollment they have to go to satellite locations or online classes.”

Hiti said the Walnut City Council is responsible for the safety and well-being of the City’s residents and that the traffic congestion from Mt. SAC will cause massive problems during an emergency.

During the July 23 City Council meeting, Timberline resident, Mansfield Collins, read aloud a document urging council members to stop Mt. SAC’s actions, stating that the college failed to perform an emergency evacuation plan for the residents of the Timberline Community and health survey for fumes caused by student transportation.

Mike Taylor, Public Information Officer for Mt. SAC, said that enrollment numbers aren’t being portrayed correctly since the 60,000 student total is for the complete academic year, and not indicative of how many students are on campus at one time or even during a semester. Furthermore, Taylor said overpopulation isn’t on the minds of administration since the school saw a 6.6 percent drop in enrollment from previous years. For the fall 2014 semester, Taylor said the enrollment stands at 26,656.

Taylor said he hopes the new parking structure will make an impact on the parking situation, since its current 8,000 parking spaces will be increased to more than 10,000. And he added that the college has always had the best interest of the community in mind since the institution always aims to bring affordable and excellent education to students. He also said putting a cap on enrollment would hurt individuals seeking a higher education.

“Mt. SAC’s mission – and the mission of all California community colleges – is to provide access to an affordable quality education for everyone,” Taylor said. “And while an enrollment cap would hurt student access to a quality education, the question of burgeoning enrollment may not be an issue after all, since fall enrollment is currently down.”

Stay tuned to Walnut’s City Council for more news about talks with Mt. SAC administration at http://ci.walnut.ca.us.

 

Norco: Sheriff’s Deputies Arrest Three for Felony Charges during Crosswalk Safety Operation

Norco Sheriff’s Office Press Release
June 23, 2014
Sergeant Christian Dekker

On Monday, June 23, 2014, Deputies assigned to the Norco Sheriff’s Office conducted an operation at the intersection of Hamner Avenue and 6th Street in the city of Norco, in response to traffic safety related complaints. “We had such an outpour of community support for our last crosswalk operation in April; that we decided to do another one.” Lieutenant Daniel Hedge said. “Many people within the Norco Community have voiced their frustration with the blatant disregard some drivers have for others safety.”

The main focus of the operation was to identify motorists who failed to yield to the pedestrian deputy in the crosswalk (Vehicle Code Section 21950(a)). The pedestrian deputy and the safety companion deputy would call out the observed violation over the radio to uniformed deputies staged nearby. The uniformed deputies would then conduct enforcement stops, contact the driver of the vehicle and issue citations.

While conducting the operation, deputies contacted three subjects who were subsequently arrested for felony charges. The following people were arrested and booked into Robert Presley Detention Center:

  1. Gonzalo Hurtado – 22 years old – Possession of controlled substance and violation of probation.
  2. Joseph Rosales – 26 years old – Possession of controlled substance and violation of probation.
  3. Gustavo Chavez – 23 years old – Felony warrant for possession of stolen property.

The following are the results of the crosswalk safety operation:

  • 50 Citations were issue (Fail to Yield for Pedestrian/ Red Light/Grid Lock/ Cell Phone)
  • 1 Arrest for Unlicensed Driver
  • 1 Vehicle Impounded
  • 1 Arrested on a Felony Warrant
  • 2 Suspects arrested for illegal drugs (possession/transportation/sales)

It should be noted that many motorists yielded for the pedestrian in the crosswalk, which is to be commended. The Norco Sheriff’s Office plans to conduct additional operations in the near future.

Eastvale: Schleisman Bridge Widening Continues

Local ConstructionCITY OF EASTVALE

Eastvale – The Schleisman Bridge widening work will resume again this Wed., June 11 and will continue until mid-July. Please be advised that traffic delays should be expected during construction hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
The remainder of the work consists of completion of roadway improvements from Gypsum Creek Drive to west of the Schleisman Bridge; final pavement cap; re-striping; completion of sidewalk connectivity from west of the Schleisman Bridge to Gypsum Creek Drive; and landscaping of the center median between Hellman Avenue and the Schleisman Bridge
As always, motorists are encouraged to take alternate routes and allow extra drive time for any activities in the immediate area. Residents are encouraged to obey all traffic signs, vehicle code laws and speed limits, especially in construction zones.
If you have any questions related to this construction project or have any traffic concerns, please feel free to contact the City of Eastvale’s Public Works Department at (951) 703-4470.

Diamond Bar: Council Corner – Gridlock Fix

Diamond Bar City HallBY ARIEL CARMONA JR.

Diamond Bar – On their meeting April 1, the Diamond Bar City Council heard an update from City staff on a $256 million multi-phase project designed to improve the existing 57/60 freeway interchange bottleneck, and also received an update on the Grand Avenue Beautification project, estimated at more than $1 million.

According to information provided by City staff, the 2.5 mile interchange stretch where the 57 and 60 freeways meet, ranks as the third most congested in California, and seventh worst in the nation. With funding from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the City of Industry, the project will be completed in three phases based upon the results of a feasibility study completed in 2008 to evaluate fixes and improvements.

The first phase consists of construction of a $16. 6 million westbound on-ramp at Grand Avenue, estimated to start in November 2015. Phase 2A consists of a fully funded $14 million street widening improvement in the vicinity of Grand Avenue and Golden Springs Drive.  Phase 2B is the construction of a $20 million westbound freeway off-ramp and an auxiliary lane to Grand Avenue.  And the final phase consists of freeway mainline improvements and bypass connectors valued at more than $200 million, with an environmental impact report certified last December.

According to a presentation by City staff, because the freeways were built in the early 70s, the forced merging of the two major freeways was made necessary by the valley shaped terrain dividing the area. At present, hundreds of thousands of drivers struggle through the confluence every day struggling to deal with all the lane merging required by a design that is almost 40 years old.

The presentation also stated that the results are “unacceptable levels of congestion, accidents and air pollution.  The 57/60 confluence is a vital link in Southern California’s transportation network. Every year more than 100 million commercial and private vehicles pass through, as does $375 billion worth of goods going through to the Los Angeles area. However, almost 80 percent of those goods are consumed outside of Southern California which means that the problems caused by this stretch of roadway impact not just local and regional tax payers and businesses, but also interstate commerce on a state and national level.”

According to a report made public by David Liu, Director of Public Works, the cost of missing components to the project include freeway connectors, and High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) connectors totaling more than $500 million, which are contingent on additional resources and funds. To date, staff has secured a $100,000 grant from Caltrans and other partners to fund an updated feasibility study valued between $300,000 and $400,000.

Members of the Council and City staff met with U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Anthony Foxx, and other dignitaries on March 21 to personally inspect the area and to make the federal government aware of the problem.

“We are trying to stress to the representatives across the nation, that this isn’t just a Diamond Bar problem, a San Gabriel Valley problem, or a California problem; this is a problem for the rest of the nation.  The longer it (goods) gets held up here in this choke point, the longer it takes to get to its destination and the more expensive the goods will be.  They understand that and hopefully the funding will come soon and we can get to work on fixing it,” said Mayor Carol Herrera.

In other matters, the Council heard a presentation regarding an update on the Grand Avenue Beautification project, which among other improvements to the City, will include streetscape enhancements to the intersections at Grand Avenue, Diamond Bar Boulevard, and Longview Drive.

On March 19, the City conducted an Open House for the community of residents and local business owners to learn more about the project. According to the presentation, a total of 53 attendees, including 40 residents, participated to provide input on the design concepts.

Residents surveyed voted for the inclusion of decorative street lights and traffic signal lights, and also requested pedestrian safety improvements at crosswalks including upgraded pedestrian crossing signage with countdown indicators and audio enhancements for the visually impaired, and more landscape improvements. Construction for the project is expected to be completed by December of this year.

During the City Manager’s report portion of the meeting, the Council heard a presentation on cyber crime by Mark Stevens from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department warning residents to be aware of the various types of cyber crime including hacking, identity theft and medical ID theft, among others.

The Council also voted 5-0 to approve a packed consent calendar which included their Treasurer’s statement from the Finance Department, and an authorization for City Manager, James DeStefano, to extend vendor services for entertainment related activities in an amount not to exceed $30,000 for the City’s 25th Birthday Party, scheduled for April 12.

The next meeting of the Diamond Bar City Council is scheduled for Tuesday, April 15, 6:30 p.m., at the AQMD/Government Center Auditorium, 21865 Copley Drive.

 

City of Industry: Nogales Street To Close For Two Years

Local ConstructionStaff Reports

City of Industry – Be prepared to start using alternate routes now that a portion of Nogales Street will be closed for up to two years due to the Nogales Street Grade Separation Project in the City of Industry and unincorporated community of Rowland Heights

The Alameda Corridor-East Construction Authority (ACE) will close Nogales Street from San Jose Avenue to Gale Avenue/Walnut Drive North in order to construct a six-lane roadway underpass and double-track railway bridge, according to a news release sent out by Assemblyman Curt Hagman. Upon completion, traffic congestion, potential collisions with trains and noise from train horns will be eliminated.

Nogales Street is scheduled to be closed for construction on or after Saturday, March 22 for up to 24 months. Most construction work will take place on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Local businesses will remain open during construction and access to businesses near construction will be maintained. A detour route with temporary rail crossing at Charlie Road Detour will be opened to allow local north-south traffic to reconnect with Nogales Street. Motorists and pedestrians are encouraged to use Fullerton Road and Fairway Drive as major north-south detour routes. Noise, dust and vibration will be monitored for compliance within applicable limits, according to Hagman.

For more information, please call (888) ACE-1426 or visit http://www.theaceproject.org.

EASTVALE : Chino Desalter Expansion Project Set to Begin in March

Photo Courtesy of : Chino Basin Desalter Agency

Photo Courtesy of : Chino Basin Desalter Agency

BY: JENNIFER MADRIGAL

The Chino Basin Desalter Authority (CDA) will be constructing a 30 inch pipeline through Eastvale to deliver drinking water to the cites of Eastvale, Ontario and Norco, as well as the Western Municipal Water District and Jurupa Community Services District.

The Pipeline Project is part of an overall expansion of the CDA’s Water treatment and delivery system and once completed, the expansion will provide an additional 10 million gallons per day of drinking water to the local area.

Construction will start at Mississippi Drive and continue northbound along Hamner Avenue to Riverside Drive. Transitions and reductions in lanes with reduction of speed to 25-30 mph is expected. Although there will be some delays, Hamner will remain open. To prevent detours, the CDA plans to have some night construction, flag men, and will not be working through the holiday season (Thanksgiving 2014- Jan. 1, 2015). In addition, there will be water shut-downs as needed, but by using phasing limits in construction, inconveniences should be kept to a minimum.

Construction on this project is expected to begin March 2014 and conclude in February 2015. If you have any concerns or questions,  a construction hotline has been set up: 951-703-4472 or contact rcastaneda@eastvaleca.gov

Chino: Crime Report, City of Chino

STAFF REPORTS

Chino – Police Officers arrested a third suspect wanted in connection with the New Year’s Eve shooting that left one man dead and another seriously wounded.
According to the City of Chino, Francisco Orozco, Jr., 22, a resident of Chino, was arrested without incident near the border of Mexico on Jan. 20, 2014 and was transported to the West Valley Detention Center by Chino Police Detectives. He was booked on a warrant for murder, and joins two other murder suspects already in custody.

The victims, Robert Sanchez, along with a second male, were shot at approximately 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2013, in the 12800 block of Benson Avenue. Sanchez was transported to the Chino Valley Medical Center, but died there as a result of his injuries. The second victim was hospitalized, and has since been released.

On Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014, Angel Edwardo Valenciana, 24, a resident of Los Angeles, was arrested by Police Officers in Grand Island, Nebraska, in connection with the New Year’s Eve shooting. The City of Chino states that Police Officers are working to extradite Valenciana back to California.

David Colomo, 19, a resident of Bell Gardens, was also arrested near the border of Mexico on Jan. 11, 2014. He was transported to the West Valley Detention Center and booked on a warrant of murder.

In another incident, the City of Chino reports that a truck driver was killed at approximately 6:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 20, 2014 when he stepped out of his semi-truck onto Euclid Avenue and was struck by a car.

The City of Chino states in a news release that the initial study by Chino Traffic Investigators determined Wilson Iraheta, 55, a resident of La Puente, parked his Peterbuilt truck and trailer in the center median of Euclid Avenue, where he was preparing to unload in front of Nature’s Best warehouse. Iraheta exited the driver’s door onto Euclid Avenue and was struck by a 2002 Subaru Station Wagon, driven by Karen Lockie, 69, a resident of Rancho Cucamonga. Lockie showed no signs of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

And, finally, the City of Chino reports that a suspect is in custody following an attack of a Chino High School student at approximately 1:17 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2014. The 16-year-old male victim was struck on the head with a hammer. He was airlifted to a local hospital and is in critical condition.

Chino Police Officers arrested suspect, Gregory U. Richmond, 48, a resident of Chino, who fled after the attack. He was arrested without incident in the 5800 block of Riverside Drive a short time later, and was booked on charges of attempted murder.

The attack took place on the sidewalk across the street from Chino High School. The high school, along with Walnut Elementary, remained in lockdown until the suspect was in custody.

These investigations are all ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the Chino Police Department at (909) 628-1234.

Corona: Ground Broken For 91 Toll Lanes Extension

Overview of toll lanes extension project in Corona.

Overview of toll lanes extension project in Corona. (Image courtesy of Riverside County Transportation Commission)

Corona – By Glenn Freeman – For some commuters, the “Corona Crawl” may soon crawl a bit faster.

Riverside County transportation officials held ground breaking ceremonies on Dec. 11 for a $1.3 billion project to replace carpool lanes with express toll lanes on Highway 91 through Corona.

The freeway project will extend two existing toll lanes from the Orange County line to the I-15 interchange, including a new flyover ramp, allowing I-15 commuters a direct connection near Magnolia Avenue in Corona. A free, general-use lane in each direction on the 91 through Corona is also part of the overall project, with the eastbound lane stretching to Pierce Street in Riverside.

Several overpasses and ramps will be widened and rebuilt, including a new westbound entrance at Maple/Sixth streets and reconfigured eastbound entrances to the 91 at Serfas Club Drive and Main Street. The changes will help reduce congestion by separating merging traffic entering and exiting the 91.

According to Riverside County Transportation Commission, access will be at either end of the new toll lanes, which will use the existing “FastTrak” system already in place in Orange County, allowing for seamless transition between the two counties. RCTC says separate tolls will be charged for each county’s segment, offering drivers a choice of using the Riverside County toll lanes, the Orange County toll lanes, or both.

Although the new toll lanes will replace existing carpool lanes, Riverside County transportation officials say that the same “three ride free” policies currently in place in Orange County will also be applied to the lanes in Riverside County.

The toll lanes will be Riverside County’s first such lanes. They come approximately 20 years after Orange County first implemented “congestion pricing” tolls to expand Highway 91 west of Corona into Anaheim. The lanes initially drew criticism from Riverside County drivers and officials, who claimed they unfairly penalized Inland commuters, the primary users (and payees) of the lanes. An agreement between the two counties later began a partnership that included recent general use lane expansion in the Santa Ana Canyon performed by Orange County.

The project is being funded through a combination of sales tax bonds and Riverside County’s Measure A transportation sales tax. Work is set to start in January 2014 and actual construction likely to begin in spring 2014, with completion expected by 2017.

Detailed information on the project can be found at: www.sr91project.info.