By Kathleen Acuff

City officials want signs like this pair at the southwest corner of Foothill Expressway and El Monte Avenue placed at each crosswalk in the free-right-turn lanes along Foothill between Edith Avenue and Homestead Road.

El Camino Real is not the only much-traveled speedway in town that walkers and cyclists must cross to reach their destinations.

Los Altos city staff have tried for months to persuade the Santa Clara County Roads and Airports Department to place pedestrian crossing and arrow signs at each crosswalk in the free-right-turn lanes on Foothill Expressway between Edith Avenue and Homestead Road. Pedestrians must cross these lanes to reach the signal controls located in the “pork chop” islands.

Councilmembers David Casas and Curtis Cole agreed at the Feb. 14 Los Altos City Council meeting to meet with Supervisor Liz Kniss and ask her assistance in obtaining the signage.

The estimated cost for each pair of signs is $150. City staff have asked that the paired signs be placed at approximately 25 crosswalks at a total cost of $3,750.

As Traffic Commission Chairman Bill Crook said later, “Not big bucks from a public works perspective.”

Crook asked Casas and Cole to request Kniss’ help in persuading County Roads to install pedestrian countdown signals at those intersections as well. He said County Roads officials agreed to the phasing lights then “reverted like they always do,” saying the task is too complex.

Commissioners said the 46 lights that would do the job would cost the same per unit - $285 - as those recently installed along El Camino Real, for a total of $13,110.

A vehicle struck a child in the free-right-turn lane at the northwest corner of Foothill and Springer Road on the first day of the last school year, Aug. 23, 2004. Three weeks later, another vehicle struck a student in the free-right-turn lane at the northwest corner of Foothill and El Monte Avenue.