South Bay drivers said a lighting issue along a stretch of Highway 680 in East San Jose is putting lives at risk. Two months ago, NBC Bay Area first reported on the unlit light poles and road signs between the Highway 101 interchange and Berryessa Road. Many locals shared the streetlight issue leads to near misses between drivers and unsheltered people living near the freeway. They noted that, despite numerous complaints over several, nothing has been done to resolve the issue. On Friday, Caltrans reiterated that the lighting issue is due to wire theft, which has become a prevalent problem nationwide. Frustrated drivers like Maribel Hernandez, however, are calling for immediate changes to address the lighting issues. “It’s too dark and foggy. You can’t see the signs. You have to turn on the high beams to see,” she said. Local driver Mark Johnson, on the other hand, is calling for accountability. “Caltrans needs to step up and respond and treat it as a serious public issue,” Johnson said. “If not, we need lawmakers to enact legislation and hold them accountable.” Drivers said they first reported the issue last spring. Caltrans said the problem was fixed, but the vandalism has kept reoccurring. ...read more read less