Councilwoman Kathleen King had called it the most dangerous intersection in Saratoga.

The Aloha Avenue-Highway 9 intersection has been the site of several accidents over the years, including a non-fatal crash between a car and a bus last summer that prompted a partial closure of the intersection.

A rock wall lines one side of Highway 9 starting at the Aloha Avenue-Highway 9 intersection where the highway begins to narrow. Common complaints focus on visibility and speed issues. Mayor Norman Kline said several fender benders and close calls had previously made the intersection an area of concern for the city.

"It's been off and on our agenda for years," Kline said. "When the accident occurred, we knew something had to be done fast."

Several options were examined. City staff and the council considered an option to ban both left and right turns onto the highway the safest, despite some concerns by residents about access issues and increased traffic on Oak Street.

The council vote means that about 100 yards of Aloha Avenue that lead up to Highway 9 will be made into a one-way lane, which will still allow vehicles to turn onto Aloha Avenue from Highway 9. Turns from Aloha Avenue onto the highway will be permanently restricted.

Last August, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission finalized funding for a grant of $1,608,000 for safety improvements to Highway 9. Saratoga, Monte Sereno and Los Gatos have committed $284,000 to the project, which has an estimated completion date of March 2008.

Councilman Nick Streit said that while Highway 9 is controlled by Caltrans and not the city, the city can take action on Aloha Avenue. "Aloha is a street controlled by the city and this is something we can do today to save lives," Streit said.

Noel Kane, a 25-year resident on Aloha Avenue, said he and the neighbors he has spoken to are satisfied with the council's decision to restrict outbound traffic on the street. "It seemed to be the best option that was available," Kane said.

Kane said that after Highway 85 was completed, traffic on Highway 9 dropped dramatically. But he has seen it gradually build back up over the years. He does not recall any fatal accidents at the intersection since he has lived on Aloha Avenue, but said there have been several fender-benders. "The local residents know how to drive it," he said. "It is kind of a local knowledge thing on how to get onto Highway 9." He said people from outside the neighborhood not familiar with the intersection, such as the woman involved in the crash last summer, can get into trouble because of visibility issues.

After the accident last summer, temporary signage and rubber stanchions were placed at the intersection to restrict outbound traffic. However, the stanchions and signage were stolen. The city then put in heavy, concrete K-rails.

The public works department is planning to schedule meetings with neighbors concerning design plans for the changes to the street. According to a city report, $49,500 in capital improvement project funds would be sufficient to cover the cost of a half-street closure.

Kane said he misses the days when traffic was lighter and safety at the intersection was less of an issue. He said blocking outbound turns on his street would add a few more blocks to his drive, which isn't much of an issue for him if safety is improved. "You can't legislate commonsense and good driving skills, but this seems like the best option," he said.