A traffic signal in a busy intersection still hasn’t been repaired, and residents said it’s part of a long line of disparities in East San Jose.
A temporary signal at Ocala Avenue and Capitol Expressway has been operating at the intersection since last September, after a traffic accident knocked the original signal over. While its replacement is expected in late March, the issue goes beyond one signal, advocates said.
Veronica Gonzalez Licon said she deals with the signal on a daily basis when dropping off her daughter at school. The Santa Clara Valley Medical Center pharmacy assistant said she’s concerned about safety. The signal is located in a crowded intersection regularly used by students.
“It’s just very dangerous considering that there’s a lot of kids that walk to school,” Licon told San Jose Spotlight. “No one has done anything about it for months now.”
Licon, 44, said the situation is particularly frustrating as an East San Jose resident. She said the repair delay is another example of ongoing inequities. San Jose marked more than 60 traffic fatalities last year, and East San Jose streets top the list of the city’s most dangerous roads. Licon said roads in more affluent areas are safer and pointed to an intersection at Payne Avenue and San Tomas Expressway that has a temporary signal that is bigger and attached to a trailer.
“We’re always pushed to the side,” Licon told San Jose Spotlight.
Santa Clara County Road and Signal Operations Deputy Director Ananth Prasad said supply chain disruptions are the main reason for the repair delay at Ocala Avenue and Capitol Expressway. The county worked to put up the temporary signal right after the traffic accident to ensure the intersection remained open, and installed a replacement order shortly afterward, he said.
Santa Clara County Road and Signal Operations Deputy Director Ananth Prasad said supply chain disruptions are the main reason for the repair delay at Ocala Avenue and Capitol Expressway. The county worked to put up the temporary signal right after the traffic accident to ensure the intersection remained open, and installed a replacement order shortly afterward, he said.
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