CHP says creating traffic breaks would just make things worse
over Labor Day holiday
By Lori Stuenkel
Gilroy – Motorists gearing up to head out of town for the long Labor Day weekend should also prepare for the congestion expected at the intersection of Highways 152 and 156.
More than 4.9 million Californians are expected to travel this weekend despite record-shattering gas prices, according to AAA, and more than 3.8 million of them will be traveling in motor vehicles, up 1.9 percent from last year.
In this area, the 152/156 interchange is always a headache for travelers. Drivers heading east on 152 often stop to allow left-hand turns by motorists from westbound 152 onto 156 toward Hollister, although there is no stop sign. Eastbound traffic then backs up and slows to a crawl for the 13 miles between Gilroy and the interchange.
The California Highway Patrol has directed traffic at the interchange in the past, but has nothing planned for this weekend, officer Chris Armstrong said. Drivers tend to slow down to look when they see police cars, he said.
“It’s a lose-lose situation,” he said. “We have tried everything we could come up with. Rather than alleviate the problem, our efforts have only aggravated the problem. Instead of making traffic move more smoothly, traffic continues to build up. If anything, it travels slower.”
Holding back eastbound traffic to make way for left-hand turns onto 156 is not an option, he said.
“All that would do is bring traffic all the way onto Highway 101 into Gilroy,” he said. “Rather than help out, it would increase wait time.”
If the Fourth of July and Memorial Day holiday weekends are any indication, Tenth Street leading to Pacheco Pass Highway over U.S. 101 will experience back-ups, as well. Gilroy Police Sgt. Kurt Svardal said police do not plan to direct traffic.
“The signal lights are there, and they do a better job of controlling traffic than we do because people see the lights a lot better,” he said. “Traffic will probably get jammed up, and traffic is so heavy, there’s really no getting around that.”
“My recommendation is to find an alternate route, carpool and plan a little extra time into your travel,” Armstrong said.
Police are stepping up patrols as heavy travel is expected between Friday morning and Monday night.
The CHP will put 80 percent of its officers out on the road to target drunken drivers, speeders, and people who decide not to buckle-up.
“Most drivers will be observing the traffic laws, but for those who don’t, the CHP will be out there in force to issue citations and take impaired drivers to jail,” said Capt. Otto Knorr, commander of the CHP’s Hollister/Gilroy office.
Gilroy police also will focus on anyone driving under the influence Saturday and Sunday as residents get out of town for one last summer trip.
“We’re going to be putting out two additional officers for DUI enforcement,” Svardal said. “Some of it is through a grant (we received) in conjunction with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.”
No checkpoints are planned for Gilroy, but partnering agencies will be checking cars in Morgan Hill at Monterey and Old Monterey roads, in San Jose and Milpitas.
Local law enforcement cracks down on busy holiday weekends as part of the Avoid the 13 campaign, named for the collaboration between agencies.
Two people were killed in separate crashes on U.S. Highway 101 just north of Gilroy last Labor Day weekend, and 53 people were killed in crashes statewide. Officers in the Avoid the 13 campaign arrested 147 drunken drivers last year, but there were still 11 alcohol-related injury crashes on local roads.
