Readers React: Rowena Ave. ‘road diet’ makes Silver Lake traffic even worse

To the editor: The article does not give a complete picture of the traffic situation on Rowena Avenue in Silver Lake, which was recently reduced from four car lanes to two and had bike lanes striped on both sides. (“Silver Lake street serves as test run for L.A. traffic overhaul,” Aug. 16)

Traffic has become significantly worse in the last two years. The situation will be exacerbated with the construction of several new condos and the new Whole Foods at Glendale Boulevard and Fletcher Drive.

I live in Silver Lake, so I experience the traffic problem both as a driver and as a pedestrian. The distance between Glendale and Hyperion Boulevard is only half a mile. During rush hour, it can take 10 minutes just to drive through the “road diet” stretch of Rowena.

This entire experiment by the city to make the streets safer by slowing traffic has been poorly thought out.

Diana Lai, Silver Lake

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To the editor: I have lived in Silver Lake for 35 years and have seen the increase in stop signs and road bumps, which only add to stop-and-go traffic. I am also one of those people who now avoid Rowena and take side streets.

I feel compassion for the family of Ashley Sandau, whose death while crossing Rowena three years ago prompted the city to put the street on a road diet. The circumstances of her death are truly sad. It was, however, an anomaly and not a reason to make drastic changes that affect an entire neighborhood.

Common sense tells us that we will never be 100% safe anywhere. Understandably, politicians feel compelled to “do something” for their constituents, but in their zeal, they often overreach.

Couldn’t we instead assign a traffic cop to patrol Rowena at sporadic times to dole out hefty citations to violators? We should be looking at quality-of-life issues, which include sitting in traffic.

Salvador Lopez, Silver Lake

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