Q: I never received my state-issued gas rebate. I checked to make sure I qualified. When you call, there’s no option to speak with anyone. An email to the Franchise Tax Board has gone unanswered. Is there anything else I can do?
Paul Yamshon, San Ramon
A: Be patient. Gas tax rebates should all be out by later this month.
Q: I’ve long known that just before each off-ramp, there are white markers on the right shoulder in groups of 3, then 2, then 1, about 50 yards apart. This is presumably to provide drivers direction in heavy fog, helping them know that the off-ramp is just ahead. Sometimes instead of markers, the white line at the shoulder is broken just before the off-ramp.
On a recent trip from San Jose to Los Angeles, I noticed similar markers in amber on the left shoulder on Interstate 5 south and Highway 101 north. The markers on I-5 had a 4-3-2-1 pattern, but on 101, it was 3-2-1.
I tried to figure out what these markers could be for, but failed. Can you shed any light on this?
Bob Steiner, San Jose
A: You’re right about the white markers. In some cases, Caltrans puts yellow markers on the left side to alert drivers about how close they are to the next exit. The amber color means you cannot move onto the shoulder there.
Q: Trying to merge onto Highway 101 south from Trimble is ridiculous. The merge (or lack thereof) throws you immediately into a lane of oncoming traffic.
The area has been under construction for the past year, but they really need to extend the merge lane. It’s extremely unsafe.
Bobbie Fuller
A: This is a work in progress. More changes will be coming over the next year or so. Merge lane changes are part of the project.
Q: It’s great that they’ve been doing work on 101 around De La Cruz and the ramp onto Highway 87. But they labeled the lanes incorrectly just south of De La Cruz. There’s a big 87 logo painted in the right shoulder, which makes it seem like a lane. The 101 logos are one lane to the right of where they belong. A bit farther down, the 87 logo and 101 logos are placed correctly. Can anything be done about the incorrect lane markings? I regularly see people caught unaware, having to merge back into traffic when the lane they were in turned out to be the shrinking shoulder.
Becky Everson
A: This is another work in progress. The VTA will check this area and make changes if needed. Work in this area is now focused on the Trimble overcrossing to 101, and there may be lane changes ahead.
Look for Gary Richards at Facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at mrroadshow@bayareanewsgroup.com.
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