Q: After a year of limited traffic due to COVID-19 on Bay Area roads, what kind of progress has Caltrans made in maintenance, repair and upgrades? Is there hope in catching up on the backlog?
Karen Dixon, San Jose
A: Yes, there is hope, but first we need to take a spin around the region.
Q: How can the state call Interstate 680 an acceptable roadway from Walnut Creek to San Jose? That has to be the roughest road in Northern California. I’ve been on roads in states with snow and ice and snowplows, and those roads are in 100 times better condition. Any plans to fix this roadway?
Robert Rice
A: Yes, but now over to the Central Valley.
Q: I have noticed that some of the new pavement that they are laying down has potholes already, such as Lawrence Expressway and Interstate 5 going south from Highway 152. I can’t remember newly paved roads falling apart so soon.
Chuck Thuener
A: Yes, repairs are coming this summer. But heading to the coast is not a smooth ride, either.
Q: Road Guru, do you have any idea when Caltrans will be addressing the poorly maintained Highway 17 from Lexington Reservoir to Interstate 280? I’ve been living in San Jose for 65 years and do not think road patches will make 17 smoother or safer. Please work your magic.
Leo Roth, San Jose
A: I’m trying. Caltrans put down 1.2 million tons of asphalt in the Bay Area last year — about double the amount it applies in a typical year. I-680 will be repaved after express lanes are completed. Much of that will be using rubberized pavement, which leads to a quieter and smoother drive. Highway 17 repaving is scheduled this year, as it also is on El Camino Real north of Palo Alto.
The higher gas tax is paying for some of this work. And numerous cities have approved bonds and taxes for road work. State roads are considered among the worst in the nation, costing the average motorist more than $850 a year in repairs compared to less than $600 nationwide.
But something new is coming: using plastic in the pavement. It’s an approach being tried on streets in Los Angeles. Adding plastic to roads appears to slow their deterioration and reduce potholes for as many as 10 years.
Q: Zanker Road is a mess between Montague Expressway and Highway 101 with potholes. When will San Jose spend some money on this street?
G. Moitozo, San Jose
A: Possibly this year. By 2028, the city will repave all 1,552 miles of local streets. That’s like repaving a two-lane road from here to Dallas.
Join Gary Richards for an hour-long chat noon Wednesday at www.mercurynews.com/live-chats. Look for Gary Richards at Facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at mrroadshow@bayareanewsgroup.com or 408-920-5335.
