Q. Hi Honk: At Fairview Road and South Coast Drive on the edge of Costa Mesa there was a temporary no U-turn sign in the median. The sign was posted by OC 405 Partners. There is a permanent sign allowing a U-turn posted by the city on the traffic-light post; it wasn’t covered at the time. Do we have to obey temporary signs posted by OC 405 Partners?
– Charlotte Baca, Fountain Valley
A. That does sound confusing, Charlotte.
Joel Zlotnik, a spokesman for the Orange County Transportation Authority, which is overseeing the $2 billion expansion of the 405 Freeway, told him that such temporary signs do not carry the insignia of the OC 405 Partners, a merger of the two companies most responsible for the widening project.
The temporary signs are similar to ones used throughout the state.
Further, Megan Abba, an OCTA spokeswoman, passed along that the permanent signs the temporary ones are overriding should be covered.
“During construction, crews may place temporary traffic signs,” she said in an email. “Crews closely coordinate with the respective cities or other agencies for traffic control.
“Temporary traffic-control signs must be followed,” she said.
“The sign the reader is referring to has been removed,” she added. “The temporary No U-turn sign was in place for a nightly closure associated with recent work at Fairview Road as part of the I-405 Improvement Project.”
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Q. Hi Honk! I was wondering what the deal is with the black California license plates with white letters. They aren’t the retro plates with yellow lettering. They have “California” in cursive like the standard plate, but I don’t see them on the Department of Motor Vehicle’s website. So I’m guessing people are painting them or custom-ordering them and then putting their vehicle tags on them? Just wondering what happens if they get pulled over.
– Jonathan Varela, Lake Forest
A. In addition to getting pulled over, tampering with license plates can get the offender a hefty fine, Jonathan, and that violation does occur.
Some folks want the yellow-on-black plates and don’t want to pay extra for them and just paint their standard plates. Sharp cops can tell the difference, because the two types of plates offer different styles of writing.
Honk is pretty certain you are seeing what are called “digital license plates” that are produced in black and white with a matte look by Reviver, and powered by a battery or wired up.
You will likely see more and more of them, Jonathan, but at $860 or more each, not a zillion of ’em. Such plates are in a pilot program, but could get approval for the long haul at some point by the state Legislature.
To ask Honk questions, reach him at [email protected]. He only answers those that are published. To see Honk online: ocregister.com/tag/honk. Twitter: @OCRegisterHonk