Council to Look at Changes for 26th Street

By Teresa Rochester

Nov. 12 -- Residents near 26th Street and Washington Avenue asked for a flashing crosswalk so they could safely cross the busy north/south thoroughfare, but they will likely get a landscaped roundabout if the City Council Tuesday night approves in concept a number of crosswalk enhancements along the street.

Currently there are no crosswalks or stop signs at the 26th Street and Washington Avenue intersection, making it difficult for pedestrians to cross the street and vehicles to turn right or left.

City officials believe that a roundabout would make it safer both for people on foot and behind the wheel. The roundabout would slow traffic along 26th Street, making it easier for vehicles to slow for pedestrians crossing in the four proposed marked crosswalks at the intersections, according to a staff report. Motorists on Washington Avenue waiting to turn can slip into a gap in the traffic and the have the right away to proceed in the circle.

"That particular intersection had a vehicular accident record we had to address along with pedestrian access," said Ellen Gelbard, the City's Deputy Director of Planning and Community Development. "An in-pavement flasher [crosswalk] wouldn't address the vehicular traffic. We didn't feel that would be an effective measure there."

Bob Seldon, chair of the neighborhood group Northeast Neighbors, said he personally was skeptical at first about the City's plans for a street that serves as a straight-away to neighboring Brentwood. But he was impressed with the plans after attending a presentation.

"Basically it looks to me that the City consultants put some thought into it," said Seldon. "What I'm hoping is that the roundabout will help make it easier for us to get from Washington to 26th... It just looked to me to be a pretty reasonable solution."

But other residents disagree. Jeff Zangrilli fears that the roundabout will prompt drivers to cut down Washington Avenue, increasing traffic on that residential street. In its report City staff proposes adding of "traffic calming" measures if traffic counts on the street increase.

"It seems like they're going to solve one problem and cause another," Zangrilli said. "I don't know what the solution is that will make it easier for kids to get across the street and cars to get across the street.

"This is going to be a multimillion dollar project, how to get people across the street. I think it [the roundabout] is a little better than a red light but not too much better."

Other proposed changes to 26th Street include:

• Installing a mid-block crosswalk at the Country Mart between San Vicente Boulevard and Georgina Avenue.
• Installing a new zebra stripped crosswalk at Carlyle Avenue to serve the bus stop at the northwest corner of Carlyle, as well as curb extensions and small landscaped raised median islands north and south of the crosswalk to prevent vehicles from using the left turn lane to skirt around a vehicle stopped for a pedestrian.
• Realigning the marked crosswalk at Georgina Avenue across 26th Street to shorten and straighten it. Curb extensions will be included.
• Installing crosswalks on the north side of Marguerita and Alta Avenues to supplement the current crosswalks on the south side that cross 26th Street. Small median islands will be installed on both the north and south approaches to each crosswalk.
• Adding curb extensions to the northeast and northwest corners of 26th Street and San Vicente Boulevard.
• Installing a new marked and signalized crosswalk at Pennsylvania Avenue and 26th Street near the Water Garden.