GILROY
– City engineers are hoping they’ve fixed a troublesome traffic
light at an intersection that will be a prime gateway to retail
shopping in Gilroy this holiday season.
GILROY – City engineers are hoping they’ve fixed a troublesome traffic light at an intersection that will be a prime gateway to retail shopping in Gilroy this holiday season.
However, Traffic Engineer Kristi Abrams acknowledged that the contractor charged with maintaining Gilroy’s signals has not determined the source of trouble with the Tenth Street and Chestnut Street light.
Several motorists traveling westbound in recent weeks have been reporting that the left turn arrow at the intersection often will not turn green. The static red light makes traffic back up in the left turn lane and into the straight away lane.
Truck drivers for Graniterock, a building material supplier based on Chestnut Street say they have not seen the stalled turn arrow cause an accident. However, there have been “a number of close calls.”
“It’s been getting worse with all the new retail,” Graniterock driver Rick Marrazzo said. “Sometimes you can see (from the freeway off-ramp) that it gets so backed up you might as well avoid (the turn lane) altogether.”
Marrazzo said he and his fellow Graniterock drivers have noticed the problem happening at busy afternoon times. Now that Costco, Lowe’s, Target and Best Buy are open and in full swing, the Tenth Street and Chestnut Avenue intersection figures to become significantly more traveled over the holiday shopping season and beyond.
Abrams said the city’s traffic signal contractor on Wednesday adjusted the sensitivity of the underground magnetic loops that control when the lights change.
The leading theory on what’s causing the problem, said Abrams, is that large trucks with tall tires sit high above the ground. This distance makes it difficult for the magnets underground to sense the presence of a vehicle, meaning the arrow stays red.
“I’m not so sure I agree with that,” Marrazzo said. “I’ve been there when it’s just cars in line.”
Abrams said the city will keep an eye on the intersection. She urges motorists to call the city if they notice the problem persist.
Motorists can call the following numbers:
• For intersections maintained by the city, call Republic Electric at 1-800-LIGHTS-ON (1-800-544-4876).
• For intersections maintained by Caltrans, call (415) 330-6509 or (415) 330-6500 during normal working hours or (510) 286-6356 or (510) 286-6359 after normal working hours.
• For intersections maintained by the County, call 299-3604 during normal working hours and
299-2507 after normal working hours.
To find out which agency maintains each intersection in Gilroy, visit www.gilroydispatch.com.
Traffic Signal Maintenance Emergency Service
The following traffic signals are maintained by Republic Electric:
1. Monterey Street and Third Street
2. Monterey Street and Fourth Street/Lewis Street
3. Monterey Street and Fifth Street/Martin Street
4. Monterey Street and Sixth Street
5. Monterey Street and Seventh Street
6. Monterey Street and Eighth Street
7. Monterey Street and Tenth Street
8. Monterey Street and Luchessa
9. Monterey Street and Farrell Avenue
10. Leavesley Road and Arroyo Circle
11. Chestnut Street and Tenth Street
12. Tenth Street and Alexander Street
13. Tenth Street and Church Street
14. Camino Arroyo and Arroyo Circle
15. Camino Arroyo and Renz Lane
16. Camino Arroyo and Project Drive
17. Tenth Street and Princevalle Street
18. Welburn Avenue and Church Street
19. Santa Teresa and Mantelli Drive
20. Miller and Third Flashing Red
21. Monterey Street lighted crosswalk (between Seventh & Eighth)
If any emergency maintenance traffic signal items need to be addressed on the above 18 listed intersections, call Republic Electric at (800 ) LIGHTS-ON (1-800-544-4876).
The following listed signals are owned and maintained by Caltrans:
1. Leavesley Road and San Ysidro Street
2. Leavesley Road and Highway 101 off-ramp
3. Leavesley Road and Murray Avenue
4. Leavesley Road and Forest Street
5. Monterey Street and Leavesley Road/Welburn Avenue
6. Monterey Street and First Street
7. First Street and Church Street
8. First Street and Miller Avenue/Wayland Lane
9. First Street and Wren Avenue
10. First Street and Westwood Drive
11. First Street and Santa Teresa Boulevard
12. Tenth Street and Highway 101 southbound ramps
13. Tenth Street/Highway 152 and Highway 101 northbound ramps
14. Camino Arroyo and Highway 152
15. Monterey and S/B Highway 101 Off-Ramp
16. Monterey/Travel Park Circle and Highway 101, N/B off-ramp
If any emergency maintenance items need to be addressed on the above listed intersections, call Caltrans at (415) 330-6509 or (415) 330-6500 during normal working hours or (510) 286-6356 or (510) 286-6359 after normal working hours.
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SIGNAL MAINTENANCE
The County owns and maintains the following signals:
1. Santa Teresa Boulevard and Welburn Avenue
2. Santa Teresa Boulevard and Longmeadow
3. Santa Teresa Boulevard and Mesa Road
4. Santa Teresa Boulevard and Club Drive
5. Santa Teresa Boulevard and Ballybunion Drive
6. Santa Teresa Boulevard and Thomas Road
7. Santa Teresa and Third Street
If any emergency maintenance traffic signal items need to be addressed on the above listed intersections, call the County at 299-3604 (working hours); 299-2507 (evenings/weekends).
From a financial and a safety point of view, it is important to get the right maintenance people for the correct intersection. The three entities will not maintain each other’s signals.
