Q: The Highway 87 sign at Taylor Street eastbound and the 87 on-ramp has fallen over completely. It should be removed.
Steven Lim
A: Thanks for this information. I passed it on to Caltrans and it has been fixed.
In other Highway 87 news, Caltrans will close southbound and northbound Highway 87 on two weekends, one in late September, the other in late October. During the 56-hour closures, Caltrans will do major pavement repair work in one direction at a time. Detours will be in place during the closures.
The northbound 87 closure between Interstate 280 and Highway 85 is scheduled for the weekend of Sept. 22. The southbound 87 closure will be the weekend of Oct. 20. Closures start Friday after 9 p.m. and conclude the following Monday, no later than 5 a.m.
Q: My husband has a Purple Heart license plate. He recently saw on the DMV website that he is entitled to a waiver of tolls (AB 2949). He has a FasTrak transponder. How does he claim this benefit?
Susan McClory
A: FasTrak handles the veterans’ toll exemption program. It grants free tolls to eligible veterans, who must have a license plate with one of the following designations on their registered vehicle: Congressional Medal of Honor, Disabled Veteran, Legion of Valor, Pearl Harbor Survivor, Ex-Prisoner of War or Purple Heart.
Eligible veterans do not need to have a FasTrak account now, although it will be required in the future. To avoid being charged a toll, veterans who are FasTrak customers should put their toll tag in a Mylar bag so they will not be charged for that trip when traveling through bridge toll plazas.
You can order free mylar bags for your toll tag. Log into your FasTrak account, select “Vehicles and Tags,” then “Request Toll Tag Supplies” or call the FasTrak customer service center at 877-BAY-TOLL.
The free-passage benefit does not apply to express lanes. More information is available on the FasTrak website.
Q: Can I suggest a road diet for Mabury Road eastbound from King Road to Jackson Avenue in San Jose?
It’s a racetrack.
Steven Lim
A: I’ll pass your idea on to the city.
Q: I read the recent letter asking the DMV to assess an impaired driver. John Muir Health has an Adaptive Driving Program that does an excellent job of evaluating drivers and making suitable recommendations. It’s not cheap, not covered by insurance, and requires a doctor’s referral.
My doctor sent me there after a serious accident injury, and they convinced me and my family that I can safely resume driving with just a minor equipment upgrade.
Anonymous
A: I’m glad you had a good experience with this driver evaluation program, and that you’ve recovered well enough to be able to safely drive again.
Look for Gary Richards at facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at [email protected].