Mar Vista Community Forum

Traffic Safety

Speeding Cars on Walgrove Avenue

A speeding car recently went out of control on Walgrove at Vienna Way, going north. A number of cars were badly damaged in that accident, some were a total write-off. Fortunately, there were no personal injuries. People living on this street have complained about speeding traffic since long before this most recent accident. There are two schools on the East side of the street, the Walgrove School, an Elementary School and Mark Twain School, a Midlle School for older children. The presence of these schools has brought us a posted 25 MPH speed limit over a long stretch of Walgrove, school crossings recently fitted with the large new warning signs in reflective green and manned by school crossing guards at the beginning and end of the school day.

As reported by June Chase, there was a breakfast meeting on June 6th, organized by Nancy Swaim, long time concered resident, to discuss the problem of speeding on Walgrove. Mo Bloforshan of the
LA Department of Transportation (LADOT) and Peter Brown, Deputy to Councilperson Ruth Galanter, were present as well as redidents John Locano, Darin Plutchek and June Chase.

Mo talked of the possibilities of slowing traffic through such de-vices as "chokers" (-corners of the walkway bulging into the roadway), stop lights, stop signs, etc. It seems that traffic picks up speed traveling north from the light at Victoria until the next possible stopping point, the light at Palms. There is enough distance to allow drivers to go much faster than the posted speed. (What a surprise!)
This seems to be the reason for so many accidents and for multiple car damage in the 1900 block. (at night the light at Victoria stays green). Mo will see about extending the new parking edge lines north - there is a problem because as the street widens these white lines might look like another traffic lane to motorists. Peter agreed to contact Pauline Chan of the City Speed Hump Program to see if we can get a variance for speed tables in selected areas on Walgrove . At present the City does not install Speed Humps or Tables on streets with 10,000 or more cars a day, such as Walgrove. However, Darin's research indicates that the 10,000 number is not based on studies but is an arbitrary number chosen by the Speed Hump Department.

You can find additional information about traffic calming at
www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/tcalm/part 2 You will learn how other communities are dealing with problems similar to ours.