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10 I Community Profiles 2024 10 I
Since 1921, 193 Caltrans employees have been killed on the job. One of the biggest hazards faced by highway workers are inattentive and distracted motorists. California’s Move Over
Optical Speed Bars
law requires drivers to move over a lane
when approaching stopped emergency
or maintenance vehicles with flashing amber lights. If unable to do so safely, you must slow down.
restoration of Qwick Kurbs (paddle-like lane separators) totaling a distance of about three miles; along with the replacement of safety corridor signs. All these improvements as well as continuing upgrades and a long-term master plan, came out of a safety audit conducted by Caltrans employees, law enforcement agencies and city staff, Lee said. “The purpose of a road safety audit is to do a formal review of the roadway or highway looking at the existing features, the safety issues, crash rates, and how drivers are using it,” Lee explained. “The multi-disciplinary team provides diverse resources and expertise to the evaluation.” The Safe System Approach looks at all the layers of protection from road safety to enforcement, but also recognizes that responsibility must be shared by all, including drivers who need to abide by the rules of the road. Increased patrols and traffic enforcement by the California Highway Patrol (CHP), LA County Sheriff’s (LASD), Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and Santa Monica Police has resulted in an increase in citations and a decrease in crashes. From January to June 2024, CHP and LASD issued 3,404 citations for speeding, an 82% increase over the same period in 2023. From January to June 2024, the stretch of PCH in Malibu saw a 36% decline in injury crashes compared to the same period in 2023. Other safety audits and projects in District 7 include portions of concern on State Route 138 (Pearblossom Highway), State Route 14 in Palmdale and Lancaster, and the terminus of Interstate 105 at Studebaker Road in Norwalk. All of these areas have a higher serious incident rate and expressed community concern, Haber said. The work on Pearblossom Highway includes widening some sections from 2 to 4 lanes, adding roundabouts to slow traffic and improving signage. On Route 14, improvements include restriping and overhead signs to alert drivers of shifting lane drops for trucks and exits. At the terminus of I-105 there have been many crashes leading Caltrans to implement a number of safety measures including rumble strips and flashing “End of Freeway” signs. That location was chosen for a State pilot of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) program that will involve input from federal officials, consultants and city representatives on the implementation of safety counter measures, Haber said. Roberts and Haber stress that the number one priority in District 7 is safety for all users from Caltrans crews to pedestrians and cyclists to drivers, and that responsibility must be shared by all to bring serious injuries and deaths to zero. m State Secretary of Transportation Toks Omishakin (left) announces $4.2 million in engineering and safety features for PCH at a news conference in December 2023, along with (from left to right) Caltrans District 7 Director Gloria Roberts, state Office of Traffic Safety Deputy Director David Doucette, and District 7 Chief Safety Officer Lee Haber.
Safety Is Paramount at Caltrans
Skidabrader Technologies
OTHER WORK ZONE SAFETY TIPS: - Do not speed in work zones; obey the posted speed limits. - Stay Alert! Expect the unexpected. - Watch for workers; drive with caution. - Don’t change lanes unnecessarily. - Always avoid using mobile phones. - Turn on headlights so that workers and other drivers can see you. - Be especially alert at night while driving in work zones. - Expect delays, especially during peak travel times. - Allow ample space between you and the car in front of you. - Anticipate lane shifts, and merge when directed to do so.
By Elizabeth Smilor Special Sections Writer
afe roads and highways for all users: That is the goal of Caltrans’ statewide Safe Systems Approach. In District 7, which encompasses Los Angeles and Ventura counties, a plethora of traditional and innovative improvements are being implemented to eliminate serious injuries and fatalities by 2050. “Caltrans District 7 cares about the safety of all users and workers on our highway system,” said District 7 Director Gloria Roberts. “To that end, we endeavor to bring the Safe System Approach to all of our project development and system operations.” A top priority over the past year in District 7 has been a comprehensive safety makeover of Pacific Coast Highway, concentrated on the curving 21-mile stretch in Malibu where 61 people have been killed since 2010. Four Pepperdine students were struck and killed by a speeding driver in October 2023. Last December, California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin announced a $4.2 million
Qwick Kurb Channelizing Systems
safety innovations
Optical Speed Bars: Transverse pavement markings placed with progressively reduced spacing on both edges of the traveled way to create the perception of increased speed. This illusion encourages drivers to slow down as they pass by the markings. Uses: To slow traffic at curves or other road changes. Skidabrader Technologies: San Diego-based company uses specialized shot-blasting trucks to break up pavement surface. Uses: To remove ghost markings after lane lines are changed, to remove skid marks, and to add friction to a roadway in both wet and dry conditions. Qwick Kurb Channelizing Systems: A raised curb lane separator with paddle or bollard-like vertical markers with reflective material for night visibility. Uses: median separator, bicycle lanes, and work zones
contract for Caltrans to move forward on 30 upgrades to PCH from Santa Monica to the Ventura County line. In addition to these efforts, Go Safely PCH is a collaborative effort among local and state traffic safety stakeholders taking specific actions to reduce deaths and serious injuries on PCH. “California’s goal is to have zero deaths on our system by 2050,” Roberts said. “We are building this into everything we do at Caltrans because one death is one too many.” District 7 Chief Safety Officer Lee Haber detailed the improvements that were made on PCH between December and April, and emphasized that the work continues. The completed work includes: the complete rehabilitation of 41 pedestrian crosswalks; optical speed bars (transverse marks spaced at a gradually decreasing distance to make drivers aware of their speed) at 15 curves; temporary speed feedback signs until permanent ones are installed; speed limits painted on the pavement; updated 6-inch-wide shoulder and lane striping with high-visibility paint; the addition and
“Caltrans District 7 cares about the safety of all users and workers on our highway system. To that end, we endeavor to bring the Safe System Approach to all of our project development and system operations.”
Gloria Roberts Caltrans District 7 Director
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