Views of Motorists, Residents Diverge on Parking Spots

Dear Street Smart:

I have a complaint about a parking problem that creates a bottleneck on a major thoroughfare in Ventura.

The problem arises when attempting to turn right onto Seaward Avenue from westbound Ocean Avenue.

Most of the time, there are cars parked on Ocean near the corner. Even if there are only a couple of motorists waiting at the long light to go straight or turn left, it is impossible for anyone behind them who wants to turn right to squeeze past.

This means that everybody has to wait for the light, which makes Ocean very crowded. Sometimes drivers have to wait through two lights to get through.

A simple solution would be to prohibit parking near the corner on Ocean. Residents could park on Ocean on the other side of Seaward.

Brian Watnick, Ventura

Dear Reader:

The solution to the bottleneck problem is not as simple as it seems.

Residents living on Seaward are not allowed to park on that major street, so they rely on parking along Ocean, Ventura Traffic Engineer Nazir Lalani says.

When complaints have been lodged about the bottleneck on Ocean, the city has sought to prohibit parking near the corner, but Seaward residents have complained that doing so would make it too difficult for them to park.

The problem would not be solved by prohibiting parking on just one side of the intersection because the bottleneck occurs on Ocean on both sides of Seaward, Lalani says.

However, Lalani says he will once again investigate the matter to see if a compromise can be worked out.

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Dear Street Smart:

I am writing with the hope of getting some help.

I am a mother of four children, two of whom attend Emilie Ritchen Elementary School on Cabrillo Way in Oxnard.

I am concerned about speeding in the neighborhood and the safety of my children as they cross Cabrillo to get to school.

There are no stop signs on Cabrillo in this area, and cars fly by.

We definitely need something to control the traffic speeds.

It’s sad to say, but so often these things are not taken care of until someone is seriously injured or killed.

All of my surrounding neighbors feel the same as I do.

Deborah Sandoval, Oxnard

Dear Reader:

Stop signs are not going to solve the problem of fast-driving cars in your neighborhood, Oxnard Traffic Engineer Joe Genovese says.

“Stop signs are used to control the right of way at an intersection, not the speed of traffic,” Genovese said. “If you start trying to control speed that way, you’re going to see a lot of accidents.”

After studying the flow of traffic at Cabrillo at its intersection with Gallatin Place, Genovese says no additional traffic controls are needed.

If you are still concerned for your children’s safety, you may want to have them walk down the street to the nearest traffic signal, Genovese says.

In the meantime, Genovese has forwarded a copy of your letter to the Oxnard Police Department’s traffic enforcement division, which may have more impact on speeders than a stop sign.

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Dear Street Smart:

I’ve noticed recently that there’s a tripod stationed in the middle of the intersection of Madera Road and Los Angeles Avenue in Simi Valley.

If this thing is somehow supposed to regulate traffic, it seems strange to have it right in the middle of the intersection, where it could easily be knocked over.

What is the purpose of this device?

Sam Callahan, Simi Valley

Dear Reader:

The device in question actually has nothing to do with measuring or controlling traffic flow.

It is an electronic surveying instrument used to gauge distances between property lines, says Chic Dabbs, principal traffic engineer.

Surveys are done occasionally by property owners who want to make sure that they know exactly where their property starts and their neighbor’s property ends, Dabbs says.

The midpoints of intersections are ideal reference points because they are usually equidistant from the properties on either side, Dabbs says.

Surveying can take several hours or several days, depending on the complexity of the project, Dabbs says. The location of the equipment has not caused traffic safety problems in the past, he says.