LAPD, Advisors Discuss Traffic Congestion, Local Concerns at PPCC Meeting

By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor

Los Angeles Police Department West Traffic Officer Blair Gabler, Pacific Palisades Senior Lead Officer Brian Espin and Transportation Advisor Lou Kamer were invited to speak at the Pacific Palisades Community Council meeting on Thursday, October 12.

The speakers were asked to address the council because of an uptick in traffic concerns and congestion, Espin said.

Gabler shared that she is part of the Community Traffic Safety Unit and is assigned to West LA—working through complaints that come through related to traffic.

She said the Traffic Analysis Unit has run its numbers, and as far as West LA goes, “traffic incidents in the area have not increased whatsoever,” she said.

Gabler did mention, however, that Sunset Boulevard is considered a “high-volume roadway” and the team is working to lessen congestion in the area.

“[The Traffic Analysis Unit] seems to think part of it is [because of] Waze … They seem to believe Waze is routing people strictly through Sunset Boulevard,” Gabler explained. “[We have] reached out to Waze, contacted them. We’re trying to work on alternative routes to open it up a little bit and give you guys a little less congestion.”

Gabler said Pacific Coast Highway is also considered a high-volume roadway.

“We wouldn’t normally bring this to your attention … what’s a little traffic in Los Angeles?” PPCC Chair Maryam Zar said. “The reason we do bring it to your attention is that we have long … talked about the fact that this community is lodged between a mountain range and an ocean, and we are in a very high fire severity zone. We have all gotten a glimpse … of what it might look like if we had to evacuate and there was suddenly a rush of people on the roads, and the roads didn’t quite move the way that we expect them to.”

Kamer then reminded attendees of the reality of the density in the Palisades.

“Chautauqua, for example, which is the busiest intersection [in LA County], on average [sees] … 81,000 cars a day go through there,” he said. “If you think about those going on Sunset, Sunset is not made for that number … The steps we take … and everybody coming together, can help to solve or mitigate a lot of the issues.”

Gabler admitted it is difficult with limited routes out of the Palisades, but in the case of an emergency, LAPD would direct the community out “in the safest manner [they] can.”

Kamer spoke on the ways Waze can be helpful, suggesting community members utilize it to upload messages and updates regarding traffic.

Kamer also informed the community of adaptive traffic signals across LA, which help control the flow of traffic and reduce collisions, and described the technology as one of the “greatest tools” that can be used now and in the case of an emergency. He said PCH does not have adaptive traffic signals and suggested the community pushes for it.

“Not only is it going to help us, it’s going to extend from Malibu through LA and down into Santa Monica all the way to the tunnel,” Kamer explained. “This is just too dangerous and congested … for us to deal with on our own, we need tech.”

Zar said the topic could be added to a future agenda to continue the conversation and consider funding as a community.