Cities Agree to Keep Via Valmonte Open

Torrance and two Palos Verdes Peninsula cities have apparently reached a compromise on reducing heavy commuter traffic on a popular route off the peninsula without closing the street, officials report.

The proposed agreement to keep winding, hilly Via Valmonte Street open was negotiated by the city managers of Torrance, Palos Verdes Estates and Rolling Hills Estates. It must still be endorsed by the city councils.

Torrance had threatened to close Via Valmonte at the Palos Verdes Estates border because commuter traffic was congesting residential streets. The proposal brought howls of protests from peninsula officials, who said such a move would make traffic worse.

“It’s a happy conclusion for us all,” James Hendrickson, Palos Verdes Estates city manager, said of the tentative agreement.

The peninsula is home to thousands who work in the South Bay and commute “down off the hill” but find the going slow and congested on the two or three main routes. Via Valmonte, linking Palos Verdes Estates to Hawthorne Boulevard, has become a popular alternate route, traffic studies show.

The lower end of Via Valmonte wends through a corner of Torrance, and residents there have complained for years about the traffic.

“There are just too many cars coming too fast down around those curves,” said Larry Schneider, a Via Valmonte homeowner. Several cars have skidded out of control and crashed into his front yard, he said.

When Torrance proposed barricading the street, Hendrickson and Rolling Hills Estates City Manager Doug Hubbard protested. They said the closure would divert more traffic onto already crowded Palos Verdes Drive North and Hawthorne Boulevard.

In the compromise agreement, the peninsula cities promise to reduce morning commute traffic on Via Valmonte by as much as 60%. To do this, they would install traffic signs and change stop signal time patterns at other busy intersections to increase traffic flows there.

There will be a “No Left Turn” at Palos Verdes Drive North to prevent eastbound commuters turning on to Via Valmonte. Traffic signals at Palos Verdes Drive North and Hawthorne Boulevard will be changed to speed traffic flows turning north onto Hawthorne Boulevard, officials said.

Traffic engineers from all three cities agree that these steps will substantially reduce commuter traffic. If the three councils sign the agreement, as expected, the changes will be made as soon as possible, officials said.

Torrance is expected to vote on the measure at its Tuesday meeting.

For its part, Torrance will leave the street open, but only if traffic is held to agreed upon levels.