Crosswalk Doesn’t Have Enough Traffic to Merit Signal

Dear Street Smart:

Friday morning, March 29, 1996, I was almost hit by a car in the crosswalk at the Ventura Pier. Since then, I’ve learned that this is a common experience among frequent users of the Ash Street pedestrian overpass.

Cars travel at excessive speeds on that section of Harbor Boulevard. A walker’s view is limited in one direction, and in the other, the incline seems to be a challenge to drivers.

Summer is upon us, with more use of all of these facilities. I am asking for a pedestrian-controlled traffic signal for that crosswalk.

Delta Bartee

Ventura

Dear Reader:

Ventura traffic officials have heard this concern for some time.

They have studied the crosswalk, looked at traffic counts and tried to figure out the safest way for cars and pedestrians to safely co-exist at this crosswalk.

The best they can come up with is a series of signs that warn drivers to slow down because pedestrians may be using the crosswalk. According to Ventura traffic engineer Nazir Lalani, there are not enough users of the crosswalk or the footbridge over the Ventura Freeway to warrant installing a pedestrian-controlled signal at that portion of Harbor Boulevard.

“Potentially, when some of the work with the pier restaurant is finished and some of the improvements on Ash Street with the redevelopment happen, that may generate the volume to meet those standards,” he said.

In the meantime, Lalani pledged to again review existing safety measures at the crosswalk.

Dear Street Smart:

I am writing concerning the dangerous situation at the intersection of California 118 and Center School Road, near Somis.

When attempting to enter 118 from Center School Road, there is a telephone pole and vegetation blocking the view east, so that you must pull out onto the highway to see if there is oncoming traffic.

If a car is on 118 and is attempting to turn left onto Center School Road, you must back up to let them enter 118. If a car is behind you, you cannot back up, then the car has to make a wide turn and nearly run into a deep drainage ditch.

This part of 118 is heavily traveled by speeding trucks and cars and the situation is hazardous. The solution would be to move the telephone pole back and keep the foliage clipped.

Marianne H. Richardson

Camarillo

Dear Reader:

State Department of Transportation engineers do not agree.

“Adequate sight distance can be attained by slowly moving forward from the stop bar, without encroaching into the eastbound traveled way,” says spokeswoman Pat Reid. “Relocation of the power pole would require acquisition of additional right-of-way by the power company.”

Reid said the intersection you are worried about is “a typical condition along the two-lane segment of this highway.”

The problems you describe, however, would be addressed in the widening project proposed by Caltrans, even though that project is years away. Meantime, Reid says, the accident history at that corner is zero over the three years ending last September.

Dear Street Smart:

Recently, city street renovation crews made changes to the center median on Westlake Boulevard between Agoura Road and just north of Thousand Oaks Boulevard. As part of the renovation, engineers changed the timing and functionality for all traffic signals at the five intersections on this stretch of Westlake Boulevard.

Clearly, no consideration was given by traffic engineers to maximize the continuous flow of traffic along Westlake Boulevard.

Instead, both the north- and southbound drivers encounter one red light after another as they traverse this short section of roadway. This presents our community with an unnecessary increase in pollution from traffic.

The worst signal-controlled intersection appears to be Agoura Road and Westlake Boulevard.

Traffic heading along Agoura Road is stopped for an inordinate amount of time while little or no traffic moves along Westlake Boulevard. Then, just as the signal changes in favor of Agoura Road, a hoard of traffic heading south on Westlake Boulevard is brought to an untimely and lengthy halt.

Gary R. Davidson

Westlake

Dear Reader:

You are correct to note that changes have been made to the timing of red and green lights at intersections along Westlake Boulevard.

Because the boulevard doubles as a state highway, it falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation, which recently reconfigured the corner of Westlake Boulevard and Townsgate Road.

The timing changes became necessary when Caltrans crews added a left-turn green arrow to the mix of lights at the intersection.

“In order to fit into the cycling, we had to steal some time from the Westlake Boulevard portion of the green lights,” Caltrans engineer Ray Ciriaco said.

But, he added, the timing sequence as it now stands is not carved in stone. “I’m still trying to fine-tune the timing,” Ciriaco said. “I’m not completely satisfied with it.”

Write to Street Smart, The Times Ventura County Edition, 93 S. Chestnut St., Ventura 93001. You may enclose a simple sketch if it will help Street Smart understand your traffic questions. Or call our Sound Off Line, 653-7546. Whether writing or calling, include your full name, address, and day and evening phone numbers. No anonymous queries will be accepted, and letters are subject to editing.