Photos by Sarah Shmerling
Pacific Palisades Community Council Votes to Support Encouraging LADOT, CD 11 to Temporarily Re-Stripe Roadway
By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
Los Angeles City Council unanimously passed a motion, introduced by Councilmembers Traci Park and Bob Blumenfield, during its meeting on Friday, August 25, that instructs the City Administrative Officer to identify funds “to implement a mitigation plan for Temescal Canyon Road to address water seepage and roadway damage.”
“It is one of only two, or maybe three, roadways that allows us to get in and out of Pacific Palisades,” Pacific Palisades Community Council Chair Maryam Zar said during public comment at the City Council meeting. “Not only is it a major road artery that we use for our daily commute, but it’s also an evacuation route for us. Pacific Palisades sits in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, the entirety of the Palisades is in that zone.”
The motion instructed the City Administrative Officer to identify $800,000 so that the Bureau of Engineering can implement its mitigation plan to address water seepage and roadway damage along the southbound lane between Pacific Coast Highway and West Bowdoin Street along Temescal Canyon Road.
The BOE reported that the street has been resurfaced twice, according to PPCC, but “underlying water issues” remain, which has caused “recurring challenges.” The bureau’s mitigation plan includes trench work and the installation of an underground pipe, which will prevent water from damaging the surface of the roadway.
Following the trench work and pipe installation, asphalt will be laid on top. BOE said it is “unlikely to be a major job in terms of duration.”
During its August 24 meeting, PPCC passed a motion to encourage Los Angeles Department of Transportation to collaborate with Council District 11 on “a better re-striping scheme that would save two lanes of traffic in each direction” for that section of Temescal Canyon Road “until such a time when the [mitigation] plan can be implemented.” The council also urged any change to incorporate a bicycle lane in each direction.
“The PPCC has profound concerns with the way TCR has been re-striped, and in light of recent natural disasters (storms close to home and fires in Hawaii), as well as the start of school, we believe the current striping of TCR compromises public safety—with drivers now attempting to skip lanes and drive along the yellow median or make unsafe U-turns in the middle of this fast-paced road, creating perilous traffic conditions for all,” read a letter from the PPCC executive committee addressed to Park and LADOT Western District Office on August 27. “CD 11 informs us that there is enough space along the road to create interim lanes that would provide for two lanes of traffic in both directions. Therefore, we encourage LADOT to collaborate with CD11 on a better restriping scheme that would save two lanes of traffic in each direction.”
Brentwood, Pacific Palisades and West LA Field Deputy Michael Amster for CD 11 reported during the meeting that the road “could theoretically accommodate two lanes going up, two lanes going down and a full bike lane,” but that would require eliminating some parking, which violates California Coastal Commission’s policy regarding parking near the coast. Alternatively, the bike lane could be merged with a driver’s lane, but Amster explained the department does not want to do that, as “they see that as a massive hazard … for bikers [and] drivers.”
“When I spoke to Department of Transportation, they remain of the position that the pinch point, while it may be more traffic than otherwise would be on Temescal Canyon Road, they do not believe the pinch point is creating vastly more traffic than otherwise would be during the school year,” Amster said.
Later in the meeting, Area 5 Representative Kimberly Bloom suggested PPCC collect videos and pictures showing how Temescal Canyon Road is because “that road is so different”: “They may not think so, but we think so, and we know so.”
PPCC’s letter also urged Caltrans to consider allowing a temporary, or permanent, increase in signal timing at Pacific Coast Highway during peak periods, which is currently limited to 67 seconds, and also incorporate the No. 3 lane to accommodate a safe left turn onto southbound PCH, according to the letter.
“The current striping of TCR poses public safety concerns beyond immediate commute and traffic worries,” the letter concluded. “As such, we ask that you immediately consider this alternative interim lane configuration providing for two continuous lanes in both directions on Temescal Canyon Road and implement a plan that ensures public safety.”
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