Since You Asked: Signal planned for Highway 20 and East 22nd?

Q: There have been two accidents in the past couple weeks at Highway 20 and East 22nd Street in Marysville, one involving a cop car that was run up on the levee and one on New Year's Day that was so bad they had traffic diverted off the highway at East 17th Street. Does Caltrans have anything in the works for this dangerous intersection?

A: It might be an exaggeration to say something is in the works. But at least it's being studied, said Caltrans spokesman Mark Dinger.

For people who have to turn left from East 22nd Street onto eastbound Highway 20, the high speed limit and heavy traffic probably make them feel like the frog in a real-life game of Frogger.

"Right now, we are studying the possibility of installing what they call a 'median refuge lane' which people can turn into before merging onto State Route 20," Dinger said.

That's more than the frog gets.

"(We) are also going to look into the possibility of lowering the speed limit from 55 to 35, like as you enter East Marysville," Dinger said.

No plans for a traffic signal at that intersection, he said.

Q: We have lived on Spring Valley Road (in the Yuba foothills) for about 10 years. The road is used as a short-cut to Marysville Road and as a result is very busy. It's also in need of repaving. In the 10 years we've lived here, the only road repairs have been filling potholes. They're getting a lot worse and the road is becoming dangerous.

A: Late last month, Yuba County Public Works Director Mike Lee predicted a rocky road for future highway funding.

But some spare change must've been found under the county's couch cushions.

"Spring Valley Road from Highway 20 to the Sperbeck Quarry is scheduled for an asphalt overlay this summer," Lee told Since You Asked.

The new surface will stop about a half-mile east of Reedy Road — about half the length of Spring Valley Road. The 3.5-mile project will cost an estimated $700,000.

According to Lee's 2009 letter to the county Board of Supervisors, the project will consist of "placing pavement resurfacing fabric in certain areas, overlaying the entire road section with a new course of asphalt concrete, placing shoulder backing" and adding striping and markers.

Q: We live in Wheatland. On southbound Highway 70, which is under construction, there is no directional sign for eastbound Kempton Road, which is the way to Wheatland and Rio Oso. It's extremely difficult to find at night. We've had family members who've missed the turn and ended up going over the Bear River bridge.

A: Dinger said Caltrans engineers hope to have that section of the new four-lane highway completed by late summer.

Caltrans workers are also "going to be looking into the signage there to make sure it is all in place," he said.

Since You Asked is published Mondays. Send questions to Rob Young at the Appeal-Democrat, P.O. Box 431, Marysville CA 95901, or call 749-4710.