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Politics & Government

Belmont Lights Out of Whack

City and Cal Trans share burden of fixing traffic signals at Ralston Avenue at El Camino Real and Old County Road.

Something's amiss on Ralston Avenue and the signals are there -- and they're on the fritz.

Traffic signals at two of Belmont's busiest intersections, Ralston Avenue at El Camino Real and Old County Road, are holding drivers up and no one between the state and the city have figured out why. Green lights seem short, reds seem long and the two intersections, practically side-by-side, are not syncing, according to city staff.

City Manager Greg Scoles briefed the City Council Tuesday night on the tedious traffic lights and said the city and the California Department of Transportation are moving toward a remedy. 

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"Signal Synchronization doesn't appear to be working correctly (and) Cal Trans is starting to believe there is an issue," Scoles told the council.

The state agency has jurisdiction over the El Camino Real intersection, while Old County Road is the city's responsibility. Neither seem to be working as traffic engineers originally planned, Community Services Director Carlos De Melo said after the meeting.

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The complaints started rolling in about 60 days ago, he said, especially from weekend drivers. Because of how close the two traffic stops are, the signals have to sync on time, otherwise drivers get stuck in the middle of the intersection, De Melo said.

The police filmed the two junctures, contacted Cal Trans and sent them the footage. After analyzing it, De Melo said Cal Trans agreed there was a problem. It's unclear whether the signal problems could be affecting the intersection's two red light cameras, De Melo said.

The news came as no surprise to some council members. Mayor Christine Wozniak said she frequently comes across frustrated citizens. And Councilmember Dave Warden said the lights have gone from bad to worse.

"Something broke," he said.  "It's really abysmal now."

The diagnosis so far, Scoles said, is something deeper than a quick calibration. He said the problem will need more than just "tuning up."

Cal Trans is expected to make a repair proposal in coming weeks, Scoles said.

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