Calabasas Traffic Officials want speed check in Calabasas

Speed limits in Calabasas might be set too slow or too fast in particular areas and Calabasas Public Works Director Robert Yalda plans to conduct a speed survey to make any necessary adjustments.

The state requires cities to conduct a speed limit survey every seven years. Cities will generally set up radar in an unmarked car (unmarked so that drivers won't be influenced to reduce or increase their speeds) and monitor average speeds on city streets. Cities adjust speed limits based on the speed that 85 percent or more of the motorists are driving at specific locations.

"We take hundreds of samples Tuesday through Thursday between the hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. so that there's no rush hour, there's no Monday where people are coming back (from the weekend) or no Friday when everyone (is rushing home for the weekend)," Yalda said. The city wants to get an average speed limit based on average driving conditions, he said.

A new citywide speed survey isn't necessary just because the state warrants one, according to Yalda. "The characteristics of the area and the neighborhoods are changing," he said. Two areas in the city that have changed since the last survey are Mulholland Highway and Calabasas Road.

"I'd like to do a citywide survey to bring everything up to speed," Yalda said. "I want to create a document that's a citywide document rather than independent speed studies that are being surveyed and passed by the county or other agencies."

Yalda believes that some speed limits might be raised and some might be lowered. "This will bring a better quality of life to citizens, better speed enforcement and just reasonable posted speed limits in the city of Calabasas."

Calabasas will probably conduct the citywide speed survey during the summer months when the city expects more "common traffic," Yalda said. -Michael Picarella