Fixes to one Bay Area’s most pothole-riddled thoroughfares on the way … really, this time: Roadshow

Q: This is a follow-up to Bob Sutis’ comments about the condition of El Camino Real from Grant Road to the Stanford Shopping Center. I’ve had the same repair request in to Caltrans for several years about the same area. I have always been given the same response, “There’s a big project scheduled for this spring that will solve all the problems.”
And it never happens.

A year ago, I even contacted Assemblymember Marc Berman’s office and was told they had contacted Caltrans with concerns about the same area. And still nothing happened. Will this spring be any different?

Chris Steck

A: Caltrans insists that they will start work on this later this year. They need dry weather and warm nights to do the work. This has been delayed so often and it is high time to fix one of the most pothole-riddled thoroughfares in the Bay Area.

Q: A perplexing incident happened recently in South San Jose on Bernal Road where the Highway 101 and Highway 85 interchange is located. I was driving east on Bernal, heading toward the 101 southbound on-ramp. A semi was approaching on a merging lane from Monterey Road, followed by a police car which had no lights flashing. I slowed to allow the semi to merge, which placed me right in front of the police car. Afterward, the police officer drove alongside me, wagged her finger at me, and drove away onto 101 south, while the semi and I continued onto 101 north. What did I do wrong? Who had the right of way in this situation?

Jenny C.

A: The finger-wagging could have been for several reasons. Merging with a big truck is often tricky. On the other hand, maybe the police officer thought you should have allowed her to go, too. Or perhaps you didn’t use your blinker, or your tail light was out and you didn’t realize it. There are other possibilities. I would be thankful that all I got was a finger wagging, considering the possibilities.