STUDIO CITY : Residents Group Split on Closing Shortcut

A move to cut short a popular Studio City shortcut has found traditional allies on opposite sides of the fence.

For years, afternoon commuters running into backed-up traffic on northbound Laurel Canyon Boulevard near its intersection with Ventura Boulevard have turned left on Laurel Terrace Drive and other side streets to avoid the congested intersection.

But this week, the board of directors of the Studio City Residents Assn. voted to support a plan by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation and City Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky to eliminate the rush-hour shortcut.

Under the plan, transportation officials would put up signs prohibiting left turns from northbound Laurel Canyon Boulevard onto Laurel Terrace Drive and Maxwellton and Viewcrest roads between the hours of 4 and 7 p.m.

Though heralded by residents of the affected streets, the plan has divided the membership of the residents association, member John De Pascale said.

“It’s ridiculous,” De Pascale said. “Traffic is already backed up to Mulholland in the afternoon. I can’t imagine it after this.”

Residents association President Tony Lucente acknowledged there was some disagreement over the issue. But, Lucente said, “based on the facts presented, we made the decision.”

But De Pascale, who said he represents many members of the residents association as well as a nearby Briarcliff homeowners group, said he will meet with Yaroslavsky later this month to appeal the decision.

Yaroslavsky, who said he was not aware of any opposition to the plan until two weeks ago, said the plan is not final.

“I hope people don’t think we’re trying to ramrod this thing through--because we’re not,” the councilman said Friday. “If there are problems that we are not aware of, we’re ready to listen to what they are.”

Yaroslavsky added that if the restrictions were put in place, that move would occur this fall, following the widening of Laurel Canyon Boulevard at its intersection with Ventura Boulevard.