Potholes are gone, but why are the new sections of 680 still so bumpy? Roadshow

Q: Interstate 680 was repaved south of 580. It appears to be concrete and is bumpier than the old section of concrete (which needs replacing) from 580 north to the Alcosta overpass.

Why is the new section rougher than the old section? Will the new surface be covered with another layer in the future or be reworked to remove the roughness?

Denny Smith, Pleasanton

A: And…

Q: My wife and I took northbound 680 from 880 to Walnut Creek recently. The new lanes from 84 to Sunol (approximately) are an absolute abomination.

The potholes are gone, but the entire surface is ridiculously rough. Exacerbating this section are fairly closely paced (10-20 feet apart) mini-rumble-strips running perpendicular to the roadway. We hope that this work is just the start and that, when finished, it will be much better.

Roy Clifton, Sunnyvale

A: I heard about this from several people. For northbound 680, crews are still placing precast concrete pavement on the road, including the area near the 680-to-580 connector. The precast concrete pavement may appear to be complete, but the contractor is still required to perform “pavement profile smoothness.”

For southbound 680, as of Monday, June 12, new continuously reinforced concrete pavement was placed with rapid-strength concrete between Sunol Boulevard and Koopman Road in Pleasanton.

Q: Closing that ramp into Los Gatos is a ridiculous idea, no doubt floated by people who moved there and were suddenly “stunned” that there is traffic, of all things, on Highway 17, and in Los Gatos.

If you don’t want to be thought a fool, don’t move to San Francisco and complain about fog, or move to Palo Alto and complain about helicopter parents, or move to Hillsborough and complain about a lack of diversity, or move to Woodside and complain about a lack of public transportation, or move to Napa and complain about hay fever, and above all, don’t move to Los Gatos and complain about beach traffic.

Mel Ausman

A: You’re going to make a lot of people mad, and many others will agree with you.