A Press Democrat Blog

Road Warrior

Trying to make sense out of getting around

Perfecting the crosswalk yield

Friday, at 6:53 by

It was a long winter, with drivers mowing down pedestrians throughout the county, so who can blame people for seeking the fine points of crosswalk law? Today’s question involves broad, multi-lane intersections. It’s followed by a list of the crosswalk violations most frequently seen in traffic court. How much should we yield for pedestrians in a crosswalk? The question: I was headed Southbound on B Street in Santa Rosa, waiting at the light to turn right on Third Street.  When the… Read More »

Downtown-area intersection targeted by SRPD

Sunday, at 2:52 by

Santa Rosa motorcycle police officers this coming week will monitor one of the city’s most collision-prone intersections — Third Street at Morgan Street, which last year was tied for seventh worst with seven collisions. As part of a weekly, Monday through Sunday, special enforcement program, Officer Jeff Adams says officers particularly will be looking for drivers not wearing seat belts, who are illegally using cellphones, are speeding, running red lights or committing lane violations. Each week, the officers pick one… Read More »

SMART road closures arrive in Santa Rosa

Wednesday, at 10:43 by

Note to readers: This column has been updated. SMART rail line construction work has arrived in Santa Rosa, and that means for the next few weeks certain roads will be completely closed for a few days at a time where the streets cross the railroad tracks. Drivers will need to find alternate routes. Third Street is closed now through 6 p.m. Thursday. After that will be, likely starting the first week in November: –Sixth Street. –Guerneville Road. –Ninth Street. –College… Read More »

SMART rail work to close Santa Rosa, Petaluma roads

Monday, at 6:00 by

SMART rail projects will force these scheduled road closures this week and next: –Third Street in Santa Rosa at the railroad tracks from Tuesday through Thursday. –Corona Road in Petaluma on Thursday at the tracks to repair work done last month. Petaluma police say the work created a dip; SMART says it’s a bump particularly noticeable at speeds faster than the speed limit. Either way, Corona should be open Friday and should be smooth. –Sixth Street in Santa Rosa at… Read More »

SRPD watching intersection near Santa Rosa Plaza

Friday, at 6:28 by

Santa Rosa motorcycle police officers this coming week will monitor one of the city’s seventh most dangerous intersections — Third Street at Morgan Street, which last year had 7 collisions. As part of a weekly, Monday through Sunday, special enforcement program, Officer Jeff Adams says officers particularly will be looking for drivers not wearing seat belts, who are illegally using cellphones, are speeding, running red lights or committing lane violations. Each week, the officers pick one of the city’s top… Read More »

Watch out for bicyclists this week

Tuesday, at 2:11 by

It’s watch-out-for-bicyclists week. As Sonoma County gears up for Sunday’s start to the Amgen Tour of California, drivers will be encountering many more bicyclists than normal along with some traffic delays and road closures. But the key for all will be safety. The brunt of that responsibility will fall to drivers. While bicyclists must follow traffic laws too, some don’t. So drivers this week will have to take particular care when encountering bicyclists. It’s common for bicyclists in packs to… Read More »

Traffic mess in downtown Santa Rosa today

Friday, at 12:54 by

Pipeline construction work is snarling traffic today in downtown Santa Rosa on Third Street at Santa Rosa Avenue. Northbound Santa Rosa Avenue is down to one lane downtown and southbound is closed at Third Street. Fourth Street is heavily congested as drivers try to find their way around the construction zone. The work has affected traffic downtown for a few weeks, and it looks like the work has a ways to go.

Staking out intersections, looking for violators

Friday, at 5:30 by

Santa Rosa Police Officer Jeff Adams waited on his motorcycle, tucked in an out-of-the-way spot, as he watched traffic go by at Santa Rosa Avenue and Third Street. The intersection this week is getting extra attention from the city’s motorcycle officers because it’s one of a couple of dozen intersections that last year were rated as the most dangerous because they had the most accidents. Santa Rosa at Third was tied for seventh worst with nine collisions. For Adams, he… Read More »

Downtown Santa Rosa intersection watched by police

Sunday, at 6:00 by

Santa Rosa motorcycle police officers will be keeping an eye out Monday through next Sunday for traffic violators at Third Street at Santa Rosa Avenue, which was tied for the seventh-highest number of collisions last year with 9. Officers particularly will be looking for drivers not wearing seat belts, who are illegally using cell phones, are speeding, running red lights or committing lane violations. To read about the city’s other top intersections for collisions, CLICK HERE.

Santa Rosa intersections with most collisions

Tuesday, at 6:08 by

Here are 24 intersections in Santa Rosa where you want to be particularly careful because, for one reason or the other, they had the most collisions last year: No. 1: Sebastopol Road at Stony Point Road, with 20 collisions in 2010 compared to 19 in 2009. It ranked No. 1 for the second straight year. To read more about this intersection, CLICK HERE. No. 2: Highway 12 at Mission Boulevard, with 17 collisions vs. 16 last year, and again was… Read More »