Quality of Life Caught in Traffic

Re “Residents Fight a Flood of Commuters,” April 28: It is not just the residents of Encino who are complaining; all communities along the Ventura Boulevard corridor from Studio City to Woodland Hills have this problem. I see it every day. Instead of having traffic-calming measures for just Encino, why not include all the communities along the Ventura Boulevard corridor in the study?

I can tell you that these other communities have the same problem. The Transportation Department should include all these other communities in the study if the results are to be effective. Perhaps if more communities were involved it would help prevent the problem from being pushed on to the other communities.

Christopher Carroll

Woodland Hills

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I have been an Encino resident for 24 years. Our hillside neighborhood has not changed in population but has been changed by development to the north and west--and 10 schools immediately to the south. When an infrastructure (roads) is not included to support the development, the result is the traffic mess we have in the Encino hillside area. Quality-of-life issues, safety issues and health issues (pollution) were not addressed in the article. The Department of Transportation plan should be supported by all Encino residents who care about their community.

Laurie Kelson

Encino

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I sympathize with the Encino hills residents’ frustration with rush-hour commuters flooding their narrow streets and am appalled that nearby residents (who don’t live in the hills) are labeling these people as elitists simply because they want to keep their streets safe and congestion-free. Is it elitist to want an area not designed for excessive traffic to remain safe from belligerent and reckless commuters? Residents pay a great deal of money to live in this area because it offers more privacy and peace. Selfish commuters should be respectful of this and take routes designed for heavy traffic flow. And if it makes their commutes longer? Deal with it, or move closer.

Michelle Hopkins

Sherman Oaks

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A suggestion: How about imposing speed limits on the residential streets that are consistent with safety and then using the police to enforce the traffic laws? Nonenforcement of the laws on Southern California roadways, a chronic embarrassment during the 14 years that I have lived here, has rooted in a generation of youth who have never seen anything but random and incidental enforcement of traffic rules. Following the rules now creates chaos and singles one out for punishment by the generally lawless public. In Encino there are plenty of people willing and able to pay the salaries of more traffic cops.

And for those of us who commute by bicycle? Don’t go there! Oy!

John Stephens

Garden Grove