Q: Maridee Fox wrote about her concern with the eastbound exit ramp at Nason Street on the 60 Freeway in Moreno Valley and the safety or legality of making a right turn on a red light there. While driving south on Nason, Fox said, she and her husband have had several close calls from drivers turning right on the red light from the ramp onto southbound Nason. “Drivers must ease out … to see past the bridge of the overpass, creating a hazardous situation. While the bridge was being built, there was a ‘No turn on red’ sign. Once construction was complete, the sign was removed,” Fox said, calling this a mistake. She asked if Caltrans could investigate.
A: As a result of our reader’s inquiry, Caltrans Operations conducted a traffic engineering study in which Fox’s observations were considered, according to Caltrans spokeswoman Terri Kasinga. A review of all accidents from Jan. 23, 2013, revealed a total of five accidents in this intersection, she said, adding that none were related to Fox’s concern and are on the path she mentioned. The intersection is at about a 90 degree angle and different than that on Archibald Avenue in Ontario.
A detailed field investigation found sight distances are adequate per Caltrans guidelines, Kasinga said. The “No turn on red” sign that was installed during construction was to facilitate construction activities, so drivers at the time wouldn’t be confused, but at this time, Caltrans Operations doesn’t recommend installing a “No turn on red” sign here, Kasinga said.
“The route engineer will continue periodically to monitor this intersection for operational and safety concerns as we move to the future,” Kasinga said.
Q: Betsy Wilson said she and her husband received disabled plates for their vehicle, but there are no instructions regarding what to do with their original license plates. “Do we keep them for when we sell a car and switch to the old plates? And, heaven forbid, my husband should die, do I then put the old plates back on or would new ones be issued?”
A: DMV Spokesman Marty Greenstein said the couple could turn in the old plates to their local DMV office or an Auto Club office if the Wilsons are members. If at some point they don’t need the disabled plates any longer, they could turn those in for new sequential plates. Greenstein said it’s important to note that once regular series license plates are replaced, they can’t be reused, so people don’t need to hang on to the old license plates for future use because they would have to get new ones.
Q: Rialto resident Harlan McWhorter said he recently traveled in California and stayed at a motel that had five disabled parking spots near its entrance — on motel property. He has a disabled parking placard and used it. McWhorter was charged $10 a night and when he asked why, he said he was told that since the handicapped parking spaces were on private property, the property owner could charge for parking. “Is that true?” he asked.
A: Yes, this is true. Disabled parking placards offer access to preferential parking spaces but the spaces aren’t necessarily free of charge, especially on private property. Typically, disabled drivers with placards may park on public streets for free but if the disabled space is on private property, which could be a hotel, privately owned parking garage or shopping center, the business may charge a fee to anyone to park there. Anything that deals with handicapped parking spots on private property is under the city or county’s jurisdiction and possibly regulated by local ordinances, said DMV Spokesman Jaime Garza.
All of this being said, we wonder if the motel folks notified our reader when he checked in to the motel that he had to pay for parking, or if this was noted in the fine print on his advance reservation (if he had one). This is an issue our reader would need to take up (or dispute) with the motel.
Do you commute to work in the Inland Empire? Spend a lot of time in your vehicle? Have questions about driving, freeways, toll roads or parking? If so, write or call On the Road and we’ll try to answer your questions. Please include your question or issue, name, city of residence, phone number and email address. Write ontheroad@pe.com or call 951-368-9670.
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