Rancho P. V. : Traffic Officer Authorized
In an effort to ease expected traffic congestion at Miraleste High School when classes begin on Sept. 14, the City Council this week authorized hiring a sheriff’s deputy on an overtime basis to control traffic at the entrance to the school on Palos Verdes Drive East.
The city contracts with the county Sheriff’s Department for law enforcement.
In January, the Palos Verdes school district voted to close Dapplegray Intermediate School and transfer its junior high students to Miraleste this fall.
Miraleste area residents told the council that they feared the school’s increased enrollment would further tie up traffic as parents drive children to and from school.
The council also ordered George Wentz, public works director, to monitor the deputy’s effect on traffic at the school for two weeks and then meet with representatives of the Sheriff’s Department, the school district and homeowner associations to evaluate what further control might be necessary.
The cost of hiring an off-duty deputy to police the intersection was not known. The city will ask Rolling Hills and Rolling Hills Estates, which have students enrolled at Miraleste and also contract with the sheriff for police protection, to pay part of the bill.
“If anything is a regional problem, this sure is,” Councilwoman Jacki Bacharach said.
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