Traffic Out of Control, Residents Warn

By Blair Clarkson
Staff Writer

May 6 -- Simply put, traffic is a dangerous problem in Santa Monica. There are more cars than the City's streets can handle, and drivers are always in a hurry to get where they're going.

When major roadways inevitably back up, harried commuters often dart off onto side streets or cut through neighborhoods in search of a few precious extra seconds. Narrow residential streets become drag strips.

The impact on neighborhood safety -- highlighted by a recent traffic accident that left an elderly pedestrian in critical condition -- spurred some Mid City residents to speak up during a community meeting Tuesday night at McKinley Elementary.

At the meeting, 20 neighbors who live around the nearby intersection of 23rd Street and Arizona Avenue -- where the pedestrian was struck in a crosswalk -- pleaded for police and traffic officials to respond to the hazardous conditions at the busy junction and for help slowing down cars in their neighborhood.

"People are always running the stop signs," said resident Theresa Kustak. "It's sad that something like this has to happen for something to get done."

The area -- sandwiched between heavily trafficked Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards -- has been the site of numerous sideswipes, a handful of car and bike collisions, an eight-car wreck and countless run-ins with drunk drivers in the last year, said meeting organizer Yvonne Ulrich.

"We have way too much traffic on our corner," said Ulrich, who would like speed bumps installed to deter commuters from using 23rd Street as a rush-hour shortcut. "Many times I've tried to cross the street and there are people who just don't want to slow down or stop at the stop sign. They just roll by."

The street, said resident David Cole, "takes a humongous amount of traffic, particularly people going to and coming home from work. It's carrying more capacity than that intersection was designed for."

Police officials assured fearful neighbors that patrol cars are more visible, radar trailers are being used to make motorists aware of their speed and new signs have been posted warning drivers to slow down.

But they cautioned that due to the proximity to St. John's Hospital, other measures, such as speed bumps, were unlikely.

"Twenty-Third Street is listed as an emergency vehicle roadway because you have the hospital right there," said Sgt. Jay Trisler of the Traffic Enforcement Department, "so with speed bumps, you're going to slow down emergency traffic. It's a dual-edged sword.

"I will promise you that you will see more presence out there," he said. "We will watch the stop sign."

Cole, a former president of the McKinley PTA and City Council candidate, hopes that by addressing the community concerns as a group, residents will force the City to take a closer look at the traffic problems on Arizona and 23rd.

"We've all made individual calls and either gotten no response or ineffective responses" from City officials, he said. "By getting together as a group, it makes a better impression on the City. The neighborhood wants action, not inaction."

Unfortunately for Cole and his fellow neighbors, such complaints are nothing new for police and City officials.

"Traffic is getting worse everywhere," said Mayor Pro Tem Kevin McKeown, who sat quietly in the back until City Hall was challenged. "I've lived here 28 years and it's gotten worse every year. And it's not just in Santa Monica; it's all of Southern California."

The problem, he said, "is too damn many cars."

McKeown added that City Hall is indeed listening, but finding a solution to the City's residential traffic woes amenable to all residents is a task easier said than done.

"We all want traffic to be slow on our block," he said, "and very fast on every other block."

In addition to increasing their presence at the intersection and employing radar, decoy cars and signage to discourage speeding, police officials introduced their citywide Neighborhood Centered Policing program, intended to "help form stronger partnerships within the City" between residents and police.

NCP is "a way for you to have direct contact with the police department" regarding traffic enforcement and parking issues, said Lt. Carolin Shepard, who handed out reference lists with numbers for various police and transportation management officials.

Shepard encouraged residents to call with specific problems and "we'll either take care of it, or find another resource to take care of it."

Following the meeting, residents expressed optimism about the new program, but remained concerned that additional changes are still needed and that anything short of increased police presence will not keep people from racing through the neighborhood.

"We want more of a commitment from the police department to give more routine focus on this area," said Cole, noting that he is more conscious of his speed on certain streets where he has often observed patrol cars.

"A heavy regular presence sits in people's minds," he said. "I drive San Vicente and I don't see officers everyday, but I'm thinking about them all the time, so I'm slower."

"I'm glad that they'll have this program in place," said Ulrich. "Hopefully it'll work." In the meantime, she added, "I would like them to see how dangerous it is.

“I understand that emergency vehicles have to get to the hospital, but now that somebody's been hurt they need to address the safety of the children in the area, people going to the hospital and residents,” Ulrich said. “There's got to be a balance."

Because there was no representation at the meeting from the Transportation Management Department, which oversees construction of speed bumps and stop signs, the community plans a follow-up meeting to discuss further actions to make the intersection safer.

"Hopefully it won't take a death for the traffic department to come up with something that will slow it down," said Cole.

McKeown, who will encourage further meetings with traffic engineers, offered a pragmatic take on the thorny issue.