By: Cosmo

Cosmo — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:56:04 +0000

We had the same problem with a stretch of residential road in Los Angeles. After SIX TRAFFIC FATALITIES and Countless Serious Injury Accidents on a short stretch of road, due to a lack of traffic mitigation devices and constant speeding at up to 50 miles per hour, we asked our City Councilman for a STOP SIGN at the half way point, to slow traffic. After a two year struggle with the L.A. Dept. of Transportation, the Los Angeles Planning Commission and two District Councilmen (and getting the local press involved) it was decided by city government to install a $100,000 Traffic Light instead of a $1,000 four way stop sign installation. Why? Because a Stop Sign is absolute. Car must stop. A Traffic Light can be manipulated to be essentially, completely ineffective, simply by keeping the light green 85% percent of the time. Which is how the Dept. Of Transportation adjusted the light. Traffic could still speed down the street at 50 miles per hour, and we still had serious injury accidents at a rate of three to four a month. It took another six months, but after several Dept. Of Transportation studies, more Injury Accidents, and constant resident pressure, the Traffic Light was finally set properly in conjunction with the Traffic Lights, north and south of it, to SLOW traffic by actually turning red in a timely and Life Saving fashion. Our injury accident rate is down to near zero now and there have been no Traffic Fatalities since the Traffic Light was activated correctly. If residents had not complained in huge numbers, and we had not gotten the press involved and embarrassed our Councilman, Planning Commissioners and DOT, I believe there would still be death and mayhem from traffic on my block. But, a heartfelt thank you to those who finally did the right thing.

By: Ron Rickard

Ron Rickard — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:31:44 +0000

11-21-09
Still another infinite wisdom move by the all-knowing fella in Sacramento. We have LOCAL government because we the people are the government. Is it somehow impossible for the legislators and bureaucrats in a land faraway to understand that concept. It is really simple; they work for us not the other way around. Mindless decisions like this really get me upset. Should I go have a traffic accident out there to improve the statistics? What difference does that make!

Comments on: Caltrans Ties Temple City’s Hands – Want a stop sign? -Have More Accidents at El Monte and Daines

By: Cosmo

By: Ron Rickard