Eyeing Needs of Walkers and Drivers

Dear Traffic Talk:

I live in the Ventura Boulevard and Van Nuys Boulevard area and I am annoyed by the crossing buttons at this and other intersections in the area. To cross Ventura, one has to press the button, but if you press it one second too late, you have to legally wait until the next light cycle to cross. Most people still cross, possibly endangering themselves.

Ironically, crossing Van Nuys at Ventura doesn’t require a pedestrian button. While I’m sure some traffic study may have shown using buttons is safer, in reality it isn’t. Most people become annoyed at missing the light by a few seconds and cross anyway. Why do we need these crossing buttons?

--Jim Makichuck

Sherman Oaks

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Dear Jim:

Pedestrian buttons are installed at signalized intersections to provide sufficient crossing time according to need, said Bill J. Shao, a transportation engineer at the city Department of Transportation. If enough pedestrian crossing time was provided during every signal cycle, regardless of whether someone needed to cross, it would unnecessarily take green time away from motorists and create congestion, he said.

According to Shao, there are a lot of traffic and pedestrians at Van Nuys, and the intersection is designed to balance both pedestrian and motorist demand.

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Dear Traffic Talk:

The green light on Tampa Boulevard for northbound traffic crossing Ventura Boulevard in Tarzana lasts only about five seconds. This means that ordinarily only two vehicles, and sometimes only one, can cross Ventura.

It’s true that traffic on southbound Tampa, which is fed by a Ventura Freeway offramp, is very heavy. Still, is there any reason for the exceptionally short light for northbound traffic?

--Abby Soven

Tarzana

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Dear Abby:

Staff engineers will check signal timing at this intersection, said Shao at the city Department of Transportation. Engineers will verify that the signal’s length of green time is based on motorist demand and is distributed proportionally to all nearby traffic movements, he said.

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