Officials to unveil anticipated signal, which will make Pacheco
Pass less congested
Starting today, employees of Gilroy Foods will no longer have to play a game of cat-and-mouse with oncoming traffic along Pacheco Pass Highway.
Officials plan to unveil a much-anticipated traffic light this morning at an 11am ribbon cutting ceremony. A host of dignitaries including Gilroy Mayor Al Pinheiro, U.S. Representative Mike Honda (D-San Jose) and regional and state transportation officials are expected to attend.
The traffic light unveiling represents a small but integral part of a project to make Pacheco Pass a safer, less congested highway.
“It’s more than just a new traffic light,” said Santa Clara County Supervisor Don Gage, who will emcee the event. “We’re going to go out to bid this spring to widen the second bridge out there (across Llagas Creek). The stoplight’s a big issue because for years and years it’s been a terribly accident-prone place.”
Bob Brooks, a security guard at the food processing plant, said cars pile up at the entrance 500 feet deep when shifts end. The company is now in its slow season but still has between 30 to 75 employees departing after shifts.
“It’s pretty hard to get out of here sometimes,” Brooks said. “I’ve seen people wait 20 minutes. Since they widened (the highway) to four lanes it’s gotten worse. This light is a big deal.”
The new light carries a price tag of $250,000. Millions more will go toward financing the half mile of road between the city’s shopping centers and the Llagas Creek bridges.
By the end of the year, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority also plans to begin construction of a fly-over at the intersection of Highways 152 and 156. The intersection has long been the source of weekend travelers’ nightmares, causing traffic to back up along Route 152 for more than 10 miles.
Today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony takes place directly across from the main entrance to the plant at 1350 Pacheco Pass Highway.
