The sounds of danger creep through Susan Richey’s window, but she’s reassured that her letter-writing efforts of last August have led to upcoming improvements to the busy intersection at Marquez and Sunset. “I hear traffic accidents and squealing tires,” says Richey, who lives in the 16601 Marquez Ave. condominium building, across from the center island. “I see people running across the street.” Her concern escalated when she was home from work on a Tuesday and Friday of the same week, and heard major accidents happen in front of her condo on both days. She walked to the entrance of her building and saw the injured passengers. A month later, the Palisadian-Post printed a letter that Richey had submitted to transportation engineer Mohammad Blorfroshan in the Western District Office of the L.A. Department of Transportation. In the letter, she wrote: “I think the traffic on Sunset has become too heavy, too fast and too dangerous, and therefore the right-hand exit lane on Sunset headed northwest onto Marquez needs to be blocked off and closed.” “I argued an extreme position,” she admits, “but I was worried about somebody getting hit-people going to the shopping strip and kids coming from Marquez [Elementary].” She was also concerned about owners and tenants from her building, who often exit their gated parking lot and turn left onto Marquez in order to go east on Sunset. “When school is in session, I just go right and around the block to get to Sunset,” she says. “Another interesting thing I’ve seen happen is when people who don’t know the area slide off onto Marquez [from Sunset], stop their cars and, realizing they’re off course, make a left to get back onto Sunset.” Richey, who works as a librarian at the Santa Monica Library, says she initially called the Department of Transportation to find out how she could file a complaint. “The DOT has to respond to public complaints,” she says. “In the letter, I cited what I’d observed and what I was concerned about, and they had someone check it out.” In December, Richey says she received a response from Blorfroshan that “basically denied my request to close the egress lane from Sunset onto Marquez because it’s heavily used by shoppers at the strip mall, parents delivering their kids to Marquez Elementary and people who live in Marquez Knolls.” The letter explained that the traffic engineering study conducted at the Marquez intersection included field investigation of physical conditions and existing traffic controls, field observations of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, and a review of the LAPD’s most updated report of traffic accidents at this location. “I didn’t talk to the engineer, but I’m wondering what the statistics are for accidents,”Richey says. She was not surprised that the DOT turned down her closure request but is happy with the department’s proposed improvements, which include: 1.) Upgrade the yield-controlled crosswalk to a “ladder-type” crosswalk on Marquez (ladder lines in the merge lane). 2.) Install “PED XING” pavement message in the merge lane. 3.) Install a florescent “Pedestrian Crossing” warning symbol in advance of the crosswalk facing the westbound traffic on Sunset merging onto Marquez. 4.) Install solid white-edge lines and red curbs around the center island. 5.) Install an additional “Yield” sign at the center island. Blorfroshan also stated that a copy of the letter would be forwarded to the LAPD, West Traffic Division “for whatever action they deem appropriate to enforce the existing traffic controls at this intersection.” A spokesperson for Blorfroshan explained that there is no set date by which the improvements must be made, since they turn the work orders over to the coordination section. “The improvements are wonderful,” Richey says. “They are well-reasoned and logical first steps to making the intersection safer. I got more, in some ways, than I could’ve asked for.” Richey says she is not pursuring the issue any farther at the moment, but is waiting for others to express interest. With increased support, she says, “I’d try to circulate a petition and get some local groups behind the effort.”
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.
