Traffic program rolling in Calabasas

By Michael Picarella Acorn Staff Writer

The city of Calabasas continues to fight its traffic problems.

Traffic reduction was a favorite campaign issue of Calabasas City Councilman Barry Groveman when he ran for office earlier this year. The city has initiated what Groveman calls a "comprehensive vehicle management program."

While approving a modernization plan for Viewpoint School on Mulholland Highway, Groveman and city officials worked closely with Viewpoint administrators to benefit the city and the school.

Viewpoint’s modernization project had been delayed nearly three years because of environmental, traffic and other entanglements with critics.

"(New negotiations) revitalized the process," Groveman said, "by offering to help move (the school modernization project) along to conclusion in return for major new concessions regarding traffic reduction. . . ."

Viewpoint will try to reduce 500 vehicle trips every day, based on traffic and transportation studies, according to Groveman.

Measures include less traffic in and around the Viewpoint campus. Faculty and staff will be required to carpool if they arrive during peak morning hours of 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. On-campus parking will be restricted to seniors only. All other students who want to use campus parking will be required to carpool.

Viewpoint will implement a neighborhood bus program. And the city will install a left-turn lane with adequate room for vehicles, according to Groveman, along Mulholland Highway in front of the school.

To ensure compliance, Viewpoint will provide twice yearly reports during "phase one" of its modernization project and annually afterward.

"By Viewpoint agreeing to these conditions, we are well on our way," Groveman said. "We have launched the first step in what will be an ambitious comprehensive vehicle management plan for the entire city."

Groveman said that talks with Las Virgenes Unified School District have already begun. Concepts to reduce Viewpoint traffic will be discussed for public schools.

Groveman predicts progress.