Why did Contra Costa County settle a lawsuit for an accident on Byron Highway? An unprecedented recent case could hold the answer.

Why did Contra Costa County settle a lawsuit for an accident on Byron Highway? An unprecedented recent case could hold the answer.

Tens of thousands of commuters travel each day along Byron Highway, a vital two-lane route in the easternmost corner of Contra Costa County, about four miles south of Discovery Bay. Local law enforcement officers say motorists on the rural road are known to drift, rollover, strike debris, swipe oncoming traffic or just get stuck in the ditch. In court filings, one commuter called it a “spooky highway” with little room for error. Since the fall o…