Six months after work began late last August, the lights are likely to be turned on next week, said Jack Sohriakoff, senior civil engineer for the Santa Cruz County Department of Public Works.
In addition to the three-way signals, the project — funded by a $450,000 federal grant — lengthened the left-hand turn lane onto Lockewood Lane and added wheelchair-accessible ramps to the intersection’s crosswalks.
The signals’ activation, Sohriakoff said, was delayed six weeks because their foundations needed to be moved to give underground gas lines more buffer space, something that could not happen until crews from Pacific Gas and Electric Co. were able to repair and upgrade the overhead power lines to prevent blackouts.
“They had to turn off the lines in that area and re-route the power,” Sohriakoff said. “We had to wait those six weeks while they made the repairs.”
He added that while the foundations’ distance from the gas lines was a matter of a few feet, PG&E restrictions have become stricter, he said, possibly as a result of a gigantic pipeline explosion in San Bruno on Sept. 9, 2010.
Public works crews used the downtime to conduct additional tree-trimming in the area and repair some of the storm drains that had sustained damage.
The additional work prompted the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors to approve adding $37,000 to the department’s budget to procure additional construction materials.
Sohriakoff said the signals would not be activated until sometime next week due to forecasts of rainy weather persisting through the weekend that delay crews from completing the finishing touches on the project.
To comment, email reporter Joe Shreve at joe@pressbanner.com, call 438-2500 or post a comment at www.pressbanner.com.
Anyone that has driven past going towards Felton knows a right turn lane was needed BUT what did they do? They put a pole (and foundation) right in the middle of what should have been that lane....
What does that do? It makes anyone turning onto Lockwood have to almost stop to make a , now, 90 degree turn! Stupid!
As for the comment about the light being triggered by folks turning right, from Lockwood to Felton, I can feel confident that it will.... Again STUPID!
Was there any traffic study done? Did it consider the effect on the MANY commuters going to and from Santa Cruz daily? If so then they and the designers should be fired or fined out of their jobs!
While I hate having to stop it sure doesn't help that this was done with such lack of intelligence....
.
Good trigger engineering is possible. I remember when the Sims Rd light was way smarter than it is today. There is too much technology floating around for us to have to wait at a stop light for no reason.
yet another traffic light stop is just plain stupid, have santa cruz county planners ever heard of roundabouts? millions used around the world to slow, calm and allow vehicles to safely merge without having to stop dead and wait. this is a waste of time, money , and major inconvenience to commuters.
In complete agreement about roundabouts. I say roundabouts are the most efficient solution hands down.
But, in this particular instance, it wouldn't be possible (or legal) as the road borders Henry Cowell and federally-protected habitat.
This traffic signal is long overdue.
We moved here in 2005 - probably not near the length of time the commenters in this thread have been residents. I respect that.
Nevertheless, since 2005, I have seen too many near-miss collisions at or near this T-intersection.
Be it beach-weather weekends or rush hour, I have waited and waited and waited too long in order to guarantee a safe turn.
Also, I've turned onto Lockewood countless times and there almost always seems to be a line of 3-4 cars waiting to get onto Graham Hill safely.
No one wins.
The speed limit is rarely respected. If I drive into Felton or Santa Cruz going 45, I am run off the road most times. And, at night, it's especially difficult to see how fast the cars are coming because the road is quite dark.
My family is thrilled with this improvement to our neighborhood. Bikers, hikers, kids, people in cars, and even horses will all likely benefit from the new light.
But, hell. Bottom line? Graham Hill Road in no way helps preserve the near-extinct Santa Cruz Sandhills habitat that it runs right through. So we might as well preserve what life we can with the addition of a new traffic light.
You could have gone down to Mt. Hermon and easily made your trip.
*** Yes, brilliant option and I frequently take Mt. Hermon when heading to SLV. But heading into Santa Cruz on "Summer Days" and "Nice Weekends"? Come on! Even I know to taking Hwy 17 for most of the year is plain stupid. Talk about adding to the carbon footprint.
Now the rest of us must stop at the light for your convenience.
*** Yes. You must stop for my convenience as I now must wait for yours.
To just say "well these 10,000 SLV people are just going to have to stop" was a very lazy way to solve this issue.
I can only hope that the light will be timed and triggered to alleviate the detrimental externalities of ruining this expressway.
Two days a week at 8:00 am I turn on to Lockewood Lane, drop kids off at Day care and then return up Lockewood Lane to jump back on Graham Hill to go to work. Even during this "rush hour" time, there is ZERO need for a light at this intersection. Yes, I may have to wait 5 - 20 seconds as things currently are... it is NOT a problem.
Why are we wasting money to make things WORSE for all of the people who depend on Graham hill to get them in to Santa Cruz without having to go through sterile Scotts Valley?