Originally Posted by
JustMe
I thought the median strip still functioned as a deceleration escape for trucks/vehicles that quarter mile or so before the freeway overpass. If Caltrans has completely removed that, there's your tax dollars at work. It would seem that the event may well have been avoided if that ramp was still functional. But I would also expect any semi tractor/trailer operator to be able to reduce speed substantially by down shifting, particularly with the last mile of straight runout before Foothill Blvd.
They decommissioned them some time ago and landscaped them, but if you check on google street view they didn't change the curbs and they're mostly full of gravel, so they might still be at least somewhat effective as runaway truck lanes. They haven't been marked as such since I can't remember when-- I've been riding that road for 10+ years and don't remember seeing them marked. Having ridden that section of road in both directions many times, the grade is also deceptive and has few warning signs other than the "Trucks 25 mph limit"-- it doesn't look all that steep but it's easy to coast up to a pretty high speed without thinking about it. It would be very easy for a driver unfamiliar with the area to manage the ACH properly because he's paying attention, but then think he's out of the steep area before he really is.