Traffic Near Studios : Burbank Seeks to Stem Congestion

Burbank city officials and Brad Howard have long been in a gridlock over traffic in his neighborhood.

Howard, who lives in a Toluca Lake residential area next to several movie studios in Burbank, has been arguing for several years that motorists are using the residential streets as shortcuts to get around clogged main streets. City officials have blamed the extra traffic on increased commercial development in the area.

But the city is trying to break out of the gridlock. Howard’s complaints, as well as those of other residents, have led city officials to look at ways to control the flow. And although he is happy with some of the proposals, Howard said, he is concerned that the measures are not strong enough.

City Manager Bud Ovrom said more than 100 questionnaires will be sent in the next few weeks to property owners in Howard’s area. They will be asked to approve a planned diverter or “island” at Rose Street and Hood Avenue. The diverter would keep some traffic out of the neighborhood.

Traffic officials are also thinking about widening Alameda Avenue between Cordova Street and Hollywood Way, and putting no-through-traffic signs on a portion of Cordova.

‘Close to a Crisis’

Officials said that 4,200 cars a day travel on Rose Street north of Franklin and that 1,700 a day travel on Rose south of Franklin. One side of Rose is lined with single-family houses; the other side is zoned for various uses.

Ovrom said drivers use Rose as a shortcut to get to Barham Boulevard, which leads into Hollywood.

“Traffic on Rose is a significant problem,” Ovrom said. “That may be getting close to a crisis. And traffic on Cordova is much higher than we want it to be.”

More than 1,200 cars a day travel on Cordova Avenue.

Ovrom said the increased traffic is due to more commercial development, more tenants in office buildings, and new apartment buildings in the area.

Howard said the city’s proposals are “not what everybody wanted, but a step in the right direction.”

He said a better solution would be to convert several residential streets into cul-de-sacs to lessen traffic.

“That would be the real ultimate,” Howard said. “We’re trying to preserve this residential neighborhood. There are lots of young families in the area, and this neighborhood warrants preservation.”

Fire and police officials have maintained that cul-de-sacs would inhibit the smooth flow of emergency vehicles in the neighborhood. Howard disagreed.

“If the city doesn’t do something fast, these drivers are just going to do what they want to do. Everyone here feels the same way.”