Road Won’t Get Storm Drain Soon

Dear Traffic Talk:

Is the city Department of Public Works possibly planning to install storm drains on Tujunga Canyon Boulevard, between Foothill Boulevard and La Tuna Canyon Road, when they repave this area next July?

This stretch of Tujunga Canyon resembles a small river during winter storms because the water has nowhere to go. There is only one storm drain at the intersection of Tujunga Canyon and Pali Avenue, which is inadequate because flooding still results in the roadway being full of potholes.

Widening this stretch to provide a southbound right-turn lane from Tujunga Canyon to La Tuna, where there is vacant land, would also be appreciated. This lane would greatly improve southbound traffic flow in the mornings.

Marc Halperin

Tujunga

Dear Marc:

There’s good news and bad news. First the good news. There is a plan to build a southbound right-turn lane from Tujunga Canyon to La Tuna, said Rand Disko, a civil engineer with the city Department of Public Works.

The city is trying to purchase land to widen the roadway, he said. According to Disko, construction will include a straightening of lanes at the intersection of Tujunga Canyon, La Tuna and Honolulu Avenue to improve traffic flow and visibility. If the city acquires the needed land, Disko said, construction will start in July and cost about $800,000.

Now the bad news. The city recognizes that this area needs a storm drain, but it won’t soon get one, said public works civil engineer Tom Kilmer. The stretch of Tujunga Canyon from Foothill to Blanchard Canyon Channel is on the city’s list of 300 “deficient areas.”

Funding these areas is not simple, Kilmer said. “Eventually it will come up for funding,” he said.

The county Department of Public Works has no plans to install storm drains there, said spokeswoman Donna Guyovich.

Dear Traffic Talk:

There is a desperate need for a left-turn arrow from eastbound Ventura Boulevard to northbound Winnetka Avenue.

This intersection backs up terribly, especially when nearby Taft High School is in session. Is this in the works?

Helene Apper

Woodland Hills

Dear Helene:

A left-turn arrow is in the works, said Ken Firoozmand , a transportation engineer at the Los Angeles Department of Transportation. The arrow will be available when many vehicles are lined up to turn, he said. At other times, the light will be green for turns. The new signal should be up in about a year, Firoozmand said.

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