The location: Northbound Kanan Road right lane at Roadside Drive in Agoura Hills

The question: Why is the northbound Kanan Road right lane not a through lane to the freeway at Roadside Drive? Traffic gets backed up horribly.

Possible solutions: Remove the "right turn only" sign at Roadside Drive and allow motorists traveling in the right lane to continue past Roadside Drive onto the 101 Freeway.

Reasons not to take action: According to Ken Berkman, Agoura Hills city engineer, the city created the "right turn only" condition for safety reasons.

"(People) are typically not aware of the safety issue that prompted the right lane to be blocked so traffic can only enter Roadside Drive," Berkman said.

During the summer when many people are going to and from the beach by way of Kanan Road, traffic tends to back up on Kanan Road at the 101 Freeway, according to Berkman. He said that's when people call city hall complaining about the "right turn only" condition at Roadside Drive.

CONFUSED-Motorists have long been befuddled by the right-turn-only markers on northbound Kanan Road at Roadside Drive in Agoura Hills. The dedicated lane was installed for safety reasons, and the situation will be resolved once the new interchange is completed next year. "A relatively high number of accidents occurred prior to the installation of the signage," Berkman said. "These collisions occurred when vehicles in the two northbound through lanes would stop (at Roadside Drive) as required to leave room for crossing or southbound left turn vehicles . . . Sometimes drivers in the (two left northbound) through lanes would even wave the left-turner through, not realizing there are northbound vehicles approaching Roadside Drive in the far right lane to get on the freeway. The resulting collisions were often serious due to inadequate visibility combined with the expectation of the (driver of the) northbound vehicle of clear, safe passage."

Ultimate solution: According to Berkman, the ultimate solution to the problem is completion of the Kanan Road interchange project, which will provide free-moving right turns onto the freeway from all approaches.

The Kanan Road interchange project has been in the works for over a decade, according to project officials. The project promises to alleviate much of the current congestion. The project should be completed by early next year.

Have a traffic-related question or concern? Send it to "Acorn Traf- fic Man" in care of the address on page 4 or by e-mail to moorpark@theacorn.com.