Traffic mitigation measures a failure in Calabasas





I am a 31-year resident in the Mulwood Heights area of Calabasas. The following are five reasons why I object to this latest Calabasas council-approved traffic mitigating fiasco, i.e., the newly installed asphalt berms lining both sides of Mulholland Highway between Paul Revere and Declaration avenues. Not only are they not needed as the road is plainly marked, but they actually cause dangerous and hazardous conditions for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists:


1. The asphalt berms block handicapped pedestrian access to the crosswalk at DeGuerre Avenue.


2. Even painted with white stripes, they cannot easily be seen as raised berms, especially going at the posted speed limit of 45 mph.


3. There is no access for the street sweeper to clean the curbs between the berm and the curb.


4. It places bicyclists in even more danger by putting them closer to the traffic lane with no way to veer to the right if they have a problem. Will the city of Calabasas be liable if a bicyclist is killed because the berms blocked him from getting off the highway?


5. There is no place for a motorist to safely pull over if a fire engine or other emergency vehicle is approaching from behind.


If a car is suddenly disabled, there is no way to safely park out of the flow of traffic.


The city council has consistently been concerned with the beautification of the Mulholland Highway corridor and has spent thousands of dollars on the landscaped median strip. How could they give approval to this, the ugliest piece of traffic engineering in the world?


If speed is the problem, why not a traffic light at Eddingham? In addition to being a major crosswalk for elementary children twice a day, it might slow down traffic headed for the high school.


At the other end the middle school, a Shell station, Gelson’s Village, only one traffic lane and a dead end to the highway are all in such close proximity it seems to me that 35 mph would be a more reasonable speed. Ever tried to make a left-hand turn into the Shell station or Gelson’s in the one lane provided with cars tailgating behind? Or been caught in a line backed up at Mulholland Drive squeezed between "The Rock" and a cliff, hoping no one will rear end you?


Since children are being asked to get to school by means other than automobile, I ask each council member: Would you put your child on the bike lanes going to the high school or middle school?


This whole traffic plan is a disaster waiting to happen if we ever have to evacuate in case of earthquake, flood or fire. And so now we have "berms" crowding pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists even closer together on a major highway. I believe the traffic planners along with the city council can come up with a better and safer plan.


Robert Kindseth


Calabasas



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