Council Targets Illegal Racing

In an ongoing effort to put the brakes on street racing in the San Fernando Valley, the Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday directed police, transportation and street maintenance officials to develop ways to curtail the unlawful contests in Chatsworth.

Residents and business owners have complained about races that take place along Plummer Street between Canoga Avenue and Topanga Canyon Boulevard, as well as in the parking lot of a nearby business park.

City Councilman Hal Bernson, whose district includes the illegal drag strips, initially drafted a motion directing the city’s Bureau of Street Service to install rubber rumble strips on Plummer and in the business park.

The idea was rejected, however, after bureau officials determined that the strips would be expensive to install and maintain, hazardous to bicyclists and motorcyclists and annoying to residents who would be subjected to the continuous noise and vibration of vehicles driving over the strips.The rumble strips are sometimes installed along the sides of roads to alert drivers that they are drifting onto the shoulder, but they have not been placed across lanes to slow down traffic.

Wednesday’s motion instructs law enforcement, transportation and street maintenance officials to review strategies to prevent racing and to determine the most appropriate traffic devices or enforcement measures to alleviate the problem.

The council’s action follows earlier measures to crack down on illegal racing citywide such as arresting drivers, impounding vehicles, citing spectators, installing speed bumps and creating tow-away zones.

Tow-away zones and speed bumps were recently installed on Glenoaks Boulevard, between Sheldon and Peoria streets, in Sun Valley to discourage street racing.