Panel Moves to Speed Up Plan for Synchronized Traffic Signals in Valley

Responding to criticism leveled more than two months ago by a state assemblyman, the Los Angeles City Council’s Transportation Committee agreed Wednesday to hire six more city staff members to speed up installation of synchronized traffic signals in the San Fernando Valley.

The additions, which will cost an estimated $193,000, must still be approved by the City Council.

More workers will hasten installation of the Automated Traffic Surveillance and Control program, scheduled for 382 Valley intersections, said John Fisher, principal city transportation engineer. The synchronized signals originally were scheduled for completion earlier this year, but instead will be done by February, 1992, said Fisher.

In past months, city staff had estimated the program might not be complete until 1993.

Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sylmar), who appeared before the council committee in mid-August to protest the delays, said Wednesday that he is not completely satisfied with the amended schedule. Katz was a key player in securing the $17 million for the program from state, county and city sources.

“It’s better. I’m glad to see they’re doing something,” Katz said. “But I still don’t understand why a system that was promised in 1989 will be ready in 1992. We’re going to keep pushing on them to speed things up.”

The synchronization plan calls for installing computerized systems at intersections on and near Ventura and Victory boulevards. The so-called “smart intersections” provide information about number and spacing of vehicles, allowing lights at the next intersections to be timed for traffic flow.

Under a segment of the program paid for and installed by the state Department of Transportation, the Valley’s first 51 smart intersections will begin operating along Ventura Boulevard next week, said Tom Conner, assistant general manager of the city Department of Transportation.

At the meeting Katz attended in August, city transportation officials explained that they were understaffed and overworked. They said synchronization of intersections in other areas of the city--including Hollywood--took precedence because private developers had paid for the work.

Katz said private money should not give certain areas precedence and he suggested that the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission might decide to withdraw its portion of the funding for the Valley program if the city did not move faster.