Study Could Mean a Turn for the Better

Dear Traffic Talk:

It’s difficult for northbound drivers on Petit Avenue in Encino to turn left, or west, onto Ventura Boulevard because motorists driving south on Petit block the intersection. Southbound motorists on Petit waiting to turn left, or east, onto Ventura also block the line of sight of northbound Petit drivers trying to turn left.

Crossing pedestrians also complicate the matter. Can a left-turn green and red arrow be placed on both sides of Petit? And how can pedestrians be held for smoother left turning?

--George A. Weinstock

Encino

Dear George:

Engineers will study left-turn movements at the intersection to determine if installing left-turn arrow signals at Petit is justified, said transportation engineer Bill J. Shao at the city Department of Transportation.

Placing left-turn arrows at Petit that may not be necessary could cause additional delays on Ventura, he said. The line-of-sight issue probably will be resolved with a planned realignment of the striping on Petit, which should improve visibility, officials said.

According to state vehicle codes, pedestrians cannot be held because they always have the right of way at any marked or unmarked crosswalk, Shao said. Motorists turning left on a green light must yield to pedestrians, he said.

Dear Traffic Talk:

Southbound Beverly Glen Boulevard, between Ventura Boulevard and Mulholland Drive, ends very abruptly at the intersection’s traffic signal on Mulholland in Sherman Oaks.

There is no indication that, unless one is in the right-hand lane, one must turn left (east). Couldn’t this be marked by arrows on the southbound pavement or some other way?

--Alfred J. Webber

Sherman Oaks

Dear Alfred:

Southbound motorists on Beverly Glen in the left lane may also go straight, said East Valley District engineer Irwin L. Chodash at the city Department of Transportation.

Arrow markings on the southbound pavement indicating which movements are permitted will be repainted, Chodash said.

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