Some Lights Are Signal to Pedestrians

Dear Traffic Talk:

On the west side of Reseda Boulevard in Northridge, directly across from the end of Superior Street, is a shopping center. Motorists leaving the shopping center have to wait for a flashing red light before proceeding onto Reseda, even though there is no cross traffic.

This is confusing since a flashing red light indicates that you first have to stop before passing cautiously through the intersection.

Why doesn’t the L.A. Department of Transportation replace the flashing red signal with a green light?

Hal Bass

Northridge

Dear Hal:

The flashing red light may seem inconvenient to motorists, but in such cases it’s installed to protect pedestrians, said Ray Wellbaum of the L.A. Department of Transportation.

“Because it’s just a sidewalk with a driveway, pedestrians don’t perceive it as an intersection, so [the flashing red light] tells motorists to yield to pedestrians,” Wellbaum said.

In some crosswalks, motorists have a constant green light that pedestrians can switch to red by pushing a button. This location, however, has a single light and there are no plans to install a multiple signal. That means the light must remain red.

Dear Traffic Talk:

For the last several years, I have been concerned about the intersection of La Canada Way and Mary Bell Avenue in Sunland.

This intersection is a three-way Y corner with only a two-way stop. Drivers going in the uncontrolled direction approach on a blind curve up a hill.

They have very little chance to see pedestrians, bicycles or horses and often approach at up to 50 mph. The speeding continues up La Canada to Sunland Boulevard.

I believe we should consider making the Mary Bell/La Canada intersection a three-way stop. There would be minimal impact on automobile traffic, but a major improvement in safety.

Bonnie Werner

Sunland

Dear Bonnie:

Officials at the Department of Transportation say they rely on citizens like you to alert them to such situations.

To make the intersection a three-way stop, you must write to the LADOT office that services your area. In this case it’s the East Valley division, at 19040 Vanowen St., Reseda 91335.

“Tell us what the problem is and we’ll order a traffic count to see how many accidents have occurred,” said LADOT engineer Irwin Khodash. “It may take a couple of months, but if it’s needed, we’ll put it up.”

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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 might be edited, and no anonymous letters will be accepted. Fax letters to (818) 772-3385. E-mail questions to valley@latimes.com.