Middle school traffic plan proposed

By Michael Picarella Acorn Staff Writer

Calabasas is trying to solve a potential traffic jam.

A vehicular nightmare is expected when the new Alice C. Stelle Middle School at 22450 Mulholland Drive opens this winter, according to Calabasas traffic and transportation director Robert Yalda.

Residents in the Paul Revere and Mulwood neighborhoods expect that motorists will use their streets to get to the school.

"What we have done is we took the existing condition—an existing traffic count—during several times of the year," Yalda said. "When the school opens up, we will repeat the same type of traffic counts. . . ."

Yalda presented at last week’s city council meeting a traffic plan in three phases to address the traffic concerns. Phase 1: On the first day of school at Alice C. Stelle, the following actions will be taken to reduce gridlock:

1. A white glove officer will manage vehicle flow adjacent the school’s main entrance at Paul Revere Drive.

2. Deputies are to be present to cite violators.

3. The city will install stop signs on Liberty Bell at Paul Revere to balance intersection flow during peak hours.

4. Two lanes on Paul Revere will be created at the approach to the school to facilitate more vehicles.

5. The city and school district will create walk-to-school/bike-to-school/bus-to-school incentive programs.

6. A speed trailer will be placed on Paul Revere Drive at the approach of the school to display vehicle speeds, simultaneously recording them and the volume of traffic.

Phase 2: City staff will track vehicles that enter the Mulwood community from Old Topanga Canyon Road at Wrencrest Drive, counting the number of those vehicles that proceed onto Paul Revere Drive at Mulholland Drive.

Depending on that study, mitigation measures will be taken.

Phase 3: A two-month evaluation period will enable city staff to determine areas of abnormal congestion. Additional mitigation measures will be taken as necessary.

Calabasas City Councilman Barry Groveman talked about the importance of dealing with reckless driving during a recent city council meeting.

"That’s going to come at a price," Groveman said. "We are working on those items . . . we need sheriffs, we need traffic officers, we need more decoy cars—we need a lot of things."

Groveman said he thinks the council should stop wasting time on non-priorities, but added that traffic problems must be addressed.

The council will discuss the A.C. Stelle traffic plan during a future meeting.