Worried About Gridlock? Cooperate, Glendale Told

Cooperation from Glendale’s neighboring cities, Caltrans, employers, workers and residents is required if Glendale is to avert potential gridlock in the downtown redevelopment area, city officials were told Tuesday.

City Traffic Engineer Kenneth Johnson predicted that downtown traffic will double in 30 years if office, retail and residential development continues as is expected.

He warned that unless the city undertakes major street and traffic circulation improvements, congestion will reach a “totally unacceptable level.”

During a two-hour study session of the Glendale Redevelopment Agency, Johnson proposed that the city undertake $50 million in improvements that eventually could affect every street in the area bounded by Glenoaks Boulevard, Colorado Street, Pacific Avenue and Glendale Avenue.

Car Pools

Johnson said city officials should encourage the use of car pools and public transportation to control congestion.

“No matter what we do, we are still going to have some problem areas,” Johnson said. “It will be much better than anything you will see in downtown Los Angeles, but it will be worse than it is today.”

The session was called to consider such alternatives as widening streets and bridges, computerizing signals, installing turn lanes and creating one-way streets.

Agency members also proposed that Glendale work with Burbank, Pasadena and Los Angeles to develop area-wide traffic reduction measures and to urge that the state Department of Transportation widen U.S. 134 and its downtown on- and off-ramps.

Other proposals discussed include offering incentives for ride-sharing, limiting commercial deliveries to night hours and urging employers to stagger work hours.

Carl W. Raggio, redevelopment agency chairman, cautioned against alarm over predictions of increased congestion.

“We have enough time now to look at the alternatives,” Raggio said. “We are looking at a problem that does not exist, but it could exist if we don’t do something about it.”