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Mr. Knowles said that was correct. The idea is to hold the traffic numbers at that area, so there is not a shift of traffic from Sunol onto Bemal or Valley, if that is what the community desires. Mr. Campbell referred to the safety issue and the possibility of traffic backing up onto 680. He has received emails from people expressing concern when they have to sit on the freeway before getting off at Sunol. Mr. Knowles said he had witnessed traffic back onto the freeway and has driven that route on numerous occasions and at different times. He is concerned about traffic safety at that location, but he is also concerned about the traffic safety in the city. Statistically, the collision rate is higher in the city than on the freeway. Ms. Ayala inquired about the warning lights he had mentioned and asked how long it would take to have them in place. Mr. Knowles said they could be in fairly quickly, but the encroachment permit application could take a month to process through CalTrans. The initial reaction of CalTrans was that it did not want another sign on the freeway. There are other congested interchanges within this CalTrans District 4 that back onto the freeway. It is hard to say what device or location for the device is most effective. There is so much fluctuation from day to day in traffic volumes. Motorists tend to ignore devices. Allen Longmire (sp?), San Carlos Way, just off Sunol Boulevard, indicated he was opposed to the metering on Sunol. He wondered how many who support the program actually experience the delay at traffic signals. He doubted those who supported it have experienced it. He is part of this every evening. He felt it was speculative to say this is going to result in a net increase in traffic safety. He felt to say the metering is successful because it reduces congestion can only be said if one ignores the congestion at the south end of Pleasanton, which is significant. He felt one cannot reduce congestion, one can only transfer it. It felt it was more annoying to be in congestion that was created intentionally, than to simply be in heavy traffic. If this program continues, he wanted to extend the metering to many locations throughout the city. If the purpose is to discourage cut through traffic, he suggested uncoordinating the signals so it becomes an unattractive route. Unfortunately, you make it unattractive for the residents too and he doesn't like it. Julian Rickamini (sp?), Adams Way, indicated he commutes from the South Bay and is involved in the backup on the exit. He said there was a blind turn on 680 before the exit and a bridge which does not have much of area to pull off onto. Even with a flashing warning light, a driven' would not see the backup until he was almost on top of it. That is not an issue at Bernal because the sight distance is much longer to see the traffic back up. In the winter when it is dark, it will be even more difficult to see traffic. He asked why that signal was chosen and felt the next one would give a bigger buffer for traffic. Mr. Knowles indicated two common suggestions in the email he has received were to not coordinate the traffic signals and purposely increase delays at many locations. His concern about Pleasanton City Council Special Meeting Minutes 6 08/22/02