Residents Can Petition for Speed Bumps

Dear Traffic Talk:

Recently, three speed bumps were installed in a residential area on Highlander Road between Valley Circle Boulevard and Platt Avenue in West Hills.

The bumps are very close together and seem to be an excessive way to stop speeders. Does the city have any plans to install speed bumps on other public roads?

Sue Schreiber

West Hills

Dear Sue:

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation has an ongoing program through which speed humps are being installed in different parts of the city, according to authorities.

The three humps on Highlander Road were installed at the request of neighbors in that area who signed a petition, according to David Roseman, a transportation engineer with the Department of Transportation.

Each project consists of a trio of humps relatively close to one another because that is the most effective way to slow down speeders, Roseman said.

The Department of Transportation has a 3-year-old program solely dedicated to placing humps on eligible streets throughout the city.

Citizens concerned about high speeds in their neighborhoods often contact the Department of Transportation--which sends them a package containing 14 criteria and other information about how to obtain speed humps in their area, Roseman said.

First, a petition signed by two-thirds of the street frontage property owners is presented to the area council representative.

Next, engineers confirm that there is a speed problem in the area and evaluate other factors such as the quantity of traffic, grade, drainage and potential for traffic diversion.

The purpose of the department in installing humps is to reduce high speeds in residential areas to between 25 and 35 mph.

On Highlander Road, for instance, the department found that cars were whizzing by at 45 mph, Roseman said.

Projects can be paid for by public funds as they become available or by residents themselves.

Dear Traffic Talk:

Littering seems to be more and more common, but even more often I’ve noticed lit cigarettes being tossed out of car windows.

When I drove behind someone who tossed a lit cigarette out of his window on Mulholland Drive, my first reaction was to write down his license plate number for a citation.

Does any organization exist for this problem?

Robin Benson

Los Angeles

Dear Robin:

There is no mechanism through which law enforcement can cite such violators based on eyewitness accounts, according to authorities.

Although officers sometimes make arrests for felonies observed by civilians, infractions must occur in the presence of an officer, said Pablo Torres, a spokesman for the California Highway Patrol.

One way civilians can deal with a litterbug is by reporting the license plate number to the nearest CHP office, Torres said. Officers will probably send a warning letter and other information to the registered owner of the vehicle.

The Caltrans Internet address given in last Friday’s column was incorrect. The proper address is https://www.scubed.com/caltrans/la/la_small_map.shtml

Traffic Talk appears Fridays in The Times Valley Edition. Readers may submit comments and questions about traffic in the Valley to Traffic Talk, Los Angeles Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth 91311. Include your name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited. To record your comments, call (818) 772-3303. Fax letters to (818) 772-3385. E-mail questions to valley@latimes.com