Q. Hi Honk: At the interchange of the I-210 and I-5 freeways, there is a truck bypass in both directions. Is it legal for cars to use the bypasses? I see a lot of cars taking them, particularly because traffic backs up at this connection. But there are no signs indicating that cars are OK. I make a lot of trips to Bakersfield and use this route. I appreciate any information you can give me.
– Patti Faiman, Corona
A. Yes, Patti, you can cut through Sylmar there in the San Fernando Valley via the truck bypasses.
Cars and small trucks can use them there, and in that particular spot, big rigs with trailers and anyone, for that matter, pulling a trailer must take these bypasses.
Truck bypasses often are a less-hilly route, easier on big rigs. The goal is to get the slower-moving, more-unwieldy trucks out of the way of the rest of traffic at vital spots, to help overall traffic flow.
Josh Greengard, an officer and spokesman for the California Highway Patrol out of the Newhall headquarters, which patrols that area, says those particular truck lanes are long and allow truckers to merge with the general traffic on a downhill, making it easier for them.
“If they bypass it, they get tickets,” he said.
There is another truck bypass, at the El Toro Y interchange in south Orange County, and Rafael Reynoso, a California Highway Patrol officer and spokesman out of the San Juan Capistrano office, says anyone can take that one, too.
Q. Awhile back, The Orange County Register reported that the governor proposed massive spending because the state’s surplus had swelled with surging tax revenue along with federal stimulus dollars. On a recent Friday we drove by the Department of Motor Vehicles office in Costa Mesa. It was the typical sight: dilapidated property and a lot of people standing outside, apparently waiting to get in. The DMV on First Street in Santa Ana is always a sight, too. And every time we ask why the long lines, we are told, “Our computers are antiquated and we are understaffed.” Is this true? If so, why isn’t a significant amount of this surplus going into modernizing and better staffing the DMV? We can’t say, “We don’t have the money!”
– Catherine Cate, Irvine
A. Two of the world’s biggest mysteries are how quickly Honk’s cash flies out his wallet while on vacation, and how government agencies seem to have the same trouble when funding stuff.
In other words, Honk isn’t sure how much this will help, but …
The DMV’s annual fiscal budget was recently set at $1.588 billion, a $208 million boost that comes even during the pandemic.
“The DMV is using this increased funding to address Real ID demands leading up to the May 2023 enforcement date, continue its modernization efforts and improve the customer experience,” Anita Gore, a DMV spokeswoman, told Honk in an email.
“In addition, the DMV also received $88.4 million … for projects involving replacing or renovating specific DMV field offices.”
The DMV is going to hire 1,300 temporary positions to help get people their Real ID, a process that has severely burdened field offices.
And, Gore said, it has “updated digital platforms and improved online services,” so now it actually takes fewer employee hours to convert the same number of driver’s licenses and IDs to Real IDs.
(A good thing to remember in all of this is that Real ID is a federal program, fueled by our love of jumping onto airliners – but much of the work to make it a go is put on the backs of state employees.)
So, Catherine, it does seem the DMV’s future looks brighter.
To ask Honk questions, reach him at honk@ocregister.com. He only answers those that are published. To see Honk online: ocregister.com/tag/honk. Twitter: @OCRegisterHonk
Source: Orange County Register
Be First to Comment