altadenablog

ACONA looks at traffic, parking issues

by Timothy Rutt 

Tuesday night’s ACONA meeting was a wide-ranging look at traffic and parking complaints in Altadena -- and if any conclusion can be drawn, it’s that Altadena is a grab-bag of parking rules.

Guests included Altadena CHP officers Thomas Miller and Xavier Behar and Tommy Mutteraid and Jennifer Aborida of the county Traffic and Lighting Division.

Much of the discussion involved drop-off and pick-up problems around St. Elizabeth’s School, which appears to be a no-man’s land: residents reported that they would complain to the sheriff, who say call the California Highway Patrol (which handles traffic problems in Altadena), who would say call the Pasadena Police Department (because Woodbury Road in that part of town is the dividing line between Pasadena and Altadena -- the school’s on the north side of the street, but if the parents are illegally parking on the south side of the street, it’s a Pasadena problem). 

CHP announces changes to the law in 2014

from the California Highway Patrol

With the New Year just around the corner, the California Highway Patrol is reminding motorists of several new laws or changes to existing law that goes into effect in 2014. The following are summaries of some transportation-related laws that, unless otherwise stated, go into effect on January 1, 2014.

AMBER Alert: Expansion (AB 535, Quirk): This law requires law enforcement to request activation of the AMBER Alerts after receiving a report that a child has been taken abducted by anyone, including a custodial parent or guardian, who may cause serious bodily injury or death to the child.

Bicycles: Passing Distance (AB 1371, Bradford): This law prohibits motorists from passing a bicycle with less than three feet between any part of the vehicle and any part of the bicycle or driver. When three feet is not possible, the motor vehicle must slow to a reasonable and prudent speed and only pass when no danger is present to the bicyclist. Failing to do so can incur a fine, regardless of a collision or not. This law will go into effect September 16, 2014.

It ain't over 'til it's over: Edison closing southbound Lake Avenue next week

by Timothy Rutt

Southern Caliifornia Edison, which blocked off southbound North Lake Avenue along the business district in late October and early November, is getting ready to do it again.

Ben Wong of Southern California Edison said that crews will be working either Thursday , Dec. 12, or Friday, Dec. 13, to “grind and cap” that patch of the street in front of Bank of America that was the focus of work last month.  Edison replaced an aging underground electrical vault in front of the bank, and next week’s work will smooth over the patch on the asphalt.

But as that work is underway, the southbound lanes on Lake Avenue will be blocked off and traffic funnelled to a single lane on the northbound side.  Parking in front of the businesses along that stretch of Lake Avenue will be prohibited in order to create a lane for northbound traffic.  Wong said that the work should be completed and traffic restored in one day.

County Public Works announces improvement projects on Holliston, Woodbury

by Timothy Rutt

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works has announced two road improvement projects which will take place this summer.

The "Holliston Ave., et al." project consists of reconstructing roadway pavement, repairing curb and gutter, and replacing guardrails on Holliston Avenue and Maiden Lane between Mendocino St. and Altadena Drive.  There will also be work along the Calavaras St. to Hill Avenue curve and down to New York Drive.  Work will also take place along Lexington Avenue between Holliston and Michigan Avenues.  A stretch of Atchison Street west of Mar Vista is also slated for work.

Two ash trees at the intersection of Calaveras and Hill and another ash at Lexington Avenue and Holliston will be removed to improve motorist line-of-site.  A yucca tree will also be removed on Lexington to accommodate the new curb and gutter.

According to a release from Public Works, construction is scheduled to start in summer, 2012, and will take approximately four months.  Project manager is Christopher Hudson, 626-458-3988.

The second project is landscape improvement along Woodbury Road, from Windsor Avenue to Santa Anita Avenue.   The county will install flowering trees and plants, groundcover, new irrigation systems, and decorative pavers within existing roadway medians.  Median curb and gutter will be reconstructed to meet curent standards, and the intersection of Woodbury and Casitas avenue will be reconstructed.  The median width between Windsor Avenue and Glenrose Avenue will be reduced by four feet to accomodate bike lanes.

Traffic on Casitas will not be able to cross Woodbury for about two weeks, and work fronting Jackson Elementary will be completed during summer recess. 

Construction on this project is also scheduled to start in the summer 2012.  Project manager is Maria Sim, 626-458-5956.

Project announcements and maps are after the jump.

Mountain roads re-opened Wednesday

Los Angeles County Public Works has re-opened the roads that were closed earlier this week due to snow and icy conditions.

A news release from the county says the following roads were re-opened Wednesday at noon:

• Angeles Forest Highway from Aliso Canyon Road to Angeles Crest Highway (SR-2) 
• Upper Big Tujunga Cyn. Road from Angeles Forest Highway to SR-2 (Angeles Crest Highway) 
• Big Tujunga Cyn. Road from Vogel Flats Road to Angeles Forest Highway 

The county advises motorists to use caution when traveling all mountain roads during the winter as icy conditions will be present. 

County to consider ban on large vehicle parking

by Timothy Rutt

On Oct. 25, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider prohibiting large trailers and similar vehicles from parking on Altadena streets.

The amendment to the vehicle and traffic code has been brought up at several Altadena Town Council meetings, in part because, in some neighborhoods, RVs and other large vehicles not owned by residents are parked on the street for days at a time, creating a nuisance and generating complaints.

The amendment to the county code affects "non-conforming" vehicles, i.e.  greater than 8 feet side, 7 1/2 feet high, or 20 feet in length.

For more information, contact Jalaine Madrid of the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, Traffic and Lighting Division, 626-300-4708.

 

Panhandling traffic hazard at Olive & Palm

A reader tells of an unusual traffic hazard here in town:

Drivers need to be careful at the intersection of N. Olive Ave and W. Palm St. There is a panhandler who steps out in to traffic and forces drivers to stop to avoid hitting her. She will also try and flag down vehicles, acting as if she is in distress. Then she proceeds to give you her hard luck story. Be extra careful, I almost saw a rear end collision because she forced a vehicle to stop. The subject is a black female, 140-150 pounds, average height, approximately 60 years old. She carries a cane (to complete the sob story). DON'T GIVE HER MONEY! Most important of all, IGNORE HER! Simply go around her. I offered her food and she rejected the offer. Don't let the distressed female excuse fool you. She is out there every day, usually in the late morning or afternoon.

Take it to the limit: Lincoln Ave.'s speeding troubles

Earlier this week, the County Board of Supervisors approved a 35 mph speed limit to
the stretch of Lincoln Ave. between the Pasadena city limits and Loma Alta Dr.

The reason, they said in a press release, was to "enhance public safety."  But the speed limit is 30 mph now.  Where's the safety?

The answer is it now means greater enforcement of speed laws by the California Highway Patrol, according to a spokesman for the Department of Public Works.

According to Sarkis Oganesyan, a civil engineering assistant and the department's division of traffic and lighting, the plain fact is that most drivers -- over 85 percent -- already travel at around 35 mph, despite the signs, according to a recent traffic survey.

And, according to a new state law, speed limits need to be set according to the reality of the situation -- which means 35 mph on Lincoln.

Oganesyan said that several traffic citations for speeding over 30 mph were tossed out of court because most drivers actually travel faster than that  on Lincoln -- basically rendering the 30 mph limit unenforceable.

With the 35 mph limit, there will also be an increase in CHP presence in to cite speeders and prevent the limit from going up even more.  And, with the new speed limit reflecting the facts on the ground, speeding tickets stand a better chance of holding up in court.

UPDATE: Star News, front page, above the fold?  Must be a slow news day!

We love U2: where the streets have no name

Here's a pro Bono message to expect heavy, heavy traffic on the Rose Bowl-adjacent west Edge of town tonight as some Irish pub band makes the Rose Bowl rattle & hum with 96,000 friends.  If you weren't lucky enough to get a ticket, there's going to be live streaming on YouTube starting at about 8:30 PM (check it out here),

(Pictured: a Bill Westphal capture of a U2 spy plane that flew over Altadena last year.)

Loma Alta Elementary neighborhood needs better traffic control

Debra Johnson (The SMILE Lady) sends us concerns about traffic around Loma Alta Elementary:

As a Parent On Patrol (POP) at Loma Alta Elementary School.  I have taken pictures I will forward.  There needs to be a  BLINKING School Crossing Sign right at the Curve where Lake Turns (curves and turns into Loma Alta).

In addition [we need] lights on the Crosswalk just as you make the that curve on Marengo and Loma Alta (I have seen this in other school zones).  It starts going downhill and Loma Alta Elementary is right there.  I was standing at the corner this morning 7:10 AM and WOW, do the cars pick up speed.

 
Now that it will be getting dark earlier the lights on the street will also help.  There should also be more "CrossWalk" Signs near the school. This is a unusual school corner  on a hill (See pictures attached)  where there should be an exception to the "100" Foot rule with the blind curve. 

When is the next traffic meeting?  Can we get a survey before then?

Debra Johnson's picture of a not-terribly well-marked intersection near Loma Alta School.

CHP records Altadena traffic accidents, complaints on websites

Altadena station CHP officers Andre Primeaux and Christian Cracraft have developed two webpages using Googlemaps:  one records 2009 traffic collisions (including injuries, marked with a '+') and one that records traffic complaints.  Makes interesting viewing!

Supporters queue up to preserve Route 256

A report making the rounds from Claude Willey about Monday's meeting of the Metro in El Monte:

Hello Altadena Neighbors,

I just wanted to say that I went to the MTA service meeting in El
Monte on Monday evening. Seems there were a number of bus lines up
for discussion that night, but the turnout in support of the 256 line
was impressive. The Bus Riders Union brought in a busload of folks in
from Highland Park and other NELA communities reliant on that route.
Of all the public comments made about that line, 95% of them were
made in support of keeping the 256 running. It's up to the MTA board
as to what happens next.

If anyone wants any additional details, please drop me a line.

--Claude Willey

Meeting @ Farnsworth tomorrow re: speed humps, bus service

The Los Angeles County Dept. of Public Works will hold two meetings during the day tomorrow, Wed., Oct 1, at the upper Davies Building Community Room at Farnsworth Park, 68 E. Mt. Curve.

The 9 AM meeting will be a community meeting with county engineers to discuss why they denied a request for speed humps on Wapello between Marengo and Lake Ave.

At noon, Carolyn F. Paynton from ISE Corporation will discuss a request from residents to have a bus service on Lake Ave. north of Altadena Dr.  The proposal is for a hybrid bus with a quiet electric drive that has a gear reducer instead of a transmission.  Transmissions typically fail having to drive such an incline on a regular basis.  Currently many residents living north of Altadena Drive without their own transportation are force to walk up the incline.  Many of these residents are elderly people.

Your attendance at this meeting is needed to show community support to these two requests.  

For more information, contact Brian Franklin, 626-797-1259,  or:

BFRANKLIN@UHVENGINEERING.COM

 

Supes restrict commercial vehicle parking

This just in from Supv. Antonovich's office:

Large Commercial Vehicles Restricted in Altadena

LOS ANGELES COUNTY – To improve public safety and the flow of traffic for the community of Altadena, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved an amendment to the Altadena Community Standards District restricting commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds or more on any highway or alley in Altadena, announced Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.

The County Department of Public Works will be responsible for posting signs at the boundaries of the Altadena Community Standards District notifying motorist of on-street parking prohibition for commercial vehicles of 10,000 pounds or more.  The restriction shall apply between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m, 7 days a week. 

 

Crosswalk monitoring at Altadena & Maiden Lane

 A note from St. Mark's School about one of the Altadena Drive crossings;

Dear Saint Mark's School Families:

The County of Los Angeles is taking count of the numbers of children and parents that cross Altadena Drive at the corner of Maiden Lane and Altadena Drive through Friday, June 13^th (morning and afternoon monitorings are being conducted). 

In order to maintain traffic safety and accurate crossing counts, please USE THE MAIDEN LANE CROSSWALK when crossing Altadena Drive.  Do not cross at Homepark or jaywalk.  Jaywalking is a direct violation of street crossing policies and poses a dangerous situation for all using busy Altadena Drive. 

Thank you very much!

Sincerely yours,

Doreen Oleson, Ed.D.
Head of School 

(Hat tip: Tom Rosebrook)

Altadena woman involved in fatal crash

A sad story about Kirk Dowling, a Fountain Valley man who was trying to help a driver who crashed on the 134 near Pacific in Glendale at about 1 AM on Tuesday.  As he was walking to the crash scene, CHP said he was struck by a vehicle driven by Sara Kacee of Altadena. 

Says the OC Register:

Dowling suffered major head trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers suspect Kacee was driving at a high rate of speed and failed to notice the vehicles. She suffered moderate injuries, a report said. Kacee was not arrested. Police are still investigating the crash.

Crash on Altadena Drive

One vehicle vs. some parked cars on the 1800 block of N. Altadena Dr. at about 10:30 this morning.  According to officers on the scene, there was one person who was not seriously injured.

Commuter dumps the bus, gets a car

Is this called "going brown?"

LA TImes business section profiles Cliff Moore.  The Altadenan used to ride the bus for four hours every day to get to his job in Sun Valley and back.  Now, in his own car, it takes 25 minutes.

Bus service is very Wonderland-like around here.  When Altadenablog was young, lived in Arcadia and worked in the Wilshire District, a bus stopped in front of his apartment, took him to El Monte where he'd hop an express bus, and it dropped him in front of his office, 75 minutes total time, tops.

But, when we were older, lived in West Pasadena and worked downtown -- a considerably shorter distance -- it would've taken us 25 minutes just to hike to the bus stop.  Spending an hour just on foot for the commute seemed like diminishing returns to us.  Driving one way took 45 minutes to an hour total.

Something else for the mix ...

Altadena man critical after crash

Thomas Kenyon, 41, of Altadena was hospitalized in critical condition today after driving off the 57 freeway near San Dimas.  PSN has the details.

"Slow Down Altadena" hits the PSN

PSN's Robert Hong takes a look at the "Slow Down Altadena" crusade.  Take back the streets!  Power to the People!

Traffic concerns? Take it to the committee

Commander Linsenmeyer (Pasadena PD ret.) sends us this:

Lots of Altadenana have questions and concerns about traffic related issues. Most do not know that Altadena has a Traffic Committee.The Traffic Committee is a sub-committee of the Altadena Town Council and its purpose is to review traffic related issues such as roadways, signs and signals, speeding, parking, school related traffic issues, residential/commercial overgrown shrubs blocking intersection lines of sight and many other traffic safety issues. The committee Chairperson is Mr. Ken Johnson, who is a municipal traffic engineer, and the rest of the members are Altadena residents. The Los Angeles County Traffic Engineer, who is assigned to Altadena, and the California Highway Patrol also attend the meetings. The committee also makes recommendations for action to the Town Council.

The Traffic Committee meets on the First Monday of each month at 7:00pm at the Altadena Community Center and all residents are invited to attend and participate.

Slow Down, Altadena!

If you've been traveling along east Altadena Drive, you've seen 'em -- the signs! And we hope they'll work!  What's the story behind them?  This note from town councilman Gino Sund of CT 4601:

The residents along Altadena Drive and adjacent streets, whom we refer to as the East Village Homeowners, have been working since October on many construction and traffic issues related to Altadena Drive.  There have been several important successes for the neighborhood related to both areas.

With respect to traffic, we were able to get the CHP to assigned a full time community policing officer to Altadena, a first for Altadena. Also, we are getting a major step-up  in traffic enforcement East of Lake, an area that was, in our opinion, under patrolled for years. As a part of this traffic calming program,  a gorilla [sic] marketing/education program is being started to augment the enforcement effort.  Thus, the signs along Altadena Drive. Today I have had a couple of requests from residents along Holliston for slow down signs to start a program on their street.

In my two years on Town Council, I have found that neighborhood organization and communication is the best way to address important issues and to get input from individuals who are informed and interested in issues important to the neighborhood.

As representative of census tract 4601, I have been attempting to communicate with as many residents as possible to keep them informed of issues as they arise.

The experience of the East Homeowners group has demonstrated the importance of organization and communication within a community group.

I know that I will need to continue to increase my communications with the residents of our census tract as issues, such as the upcoming changes in the trash hauling contracts implemented by the County, will start to effect the services of all of our neighbors.

I welcome any neighbors in census  tract 4601 to contact me with their interests or concerns.  esund@charter.net or (626) 794-9609

Gino Sund
Altadena Town Council
Census Tract 4601

Thanks to Altadenablog reader Deborah Graff for the photo!

Altadena Drive closed E. of Lake on March 17

Just got this note that's circulating to the parents of St. Mark's School, on Altadena Dr. just east of Lake:  The county will be closing down that portion of the street on Mon., March 17, for repaving, starting sometime in the morning until 3 p.m.   Fun will ensue, but at least that section will be done.  Drive carefully!  Text of the note is after the jump

(hat tip: that other TR)

Man lying on Altadena Dr. killed by van

The LA Times has the story of Francisco Carbajal, 64. who was killed on Altadena Drive near Crestford last night at about 8 p.m.  According to the Times, Carbajal was lying or had just fallen on the street when he was run over by a Chevy Astro van.  The driver of the van, a 42-year-old Altadena man, was not charged.  The coroner will determine if alcohol was involved.

Enforcement steps up on Altadena Drive

California Highway Patrol has assigned a fulltime officer to catch the speeders on the eastern side of Altadena Drive.  Increased enforcement will start Jan. 2. Town Councilman Gino Sund sent a letter to his constituents on Dec. 27, which said:

Christmas Tree Lane is now go, kinda

The latest about the construction at Altadena Drive and Santa Rosa, i.e. Christmas Tree Lane:

Pasadena Now reports that work on medians, curbs, and gutters will continue, which includes the Santa Rosa/Altadena Dr. intersection, until about Dec. 14.  Work will be finished at 5 p.m.  each day.  This is not really an accommodation, because that's when the crews usually quit work anyway!

However, the resurfacing of Altadena Drive will not start until after the first of the year, allowing (we hope) the free flow of traffic on Santa Rosa during the lighting period.  There will be construction going on during the day on Altadena Drive (including the occasional lane closure), but weekends will be construction-free.

Christmas Tree Lane is Go!

Cooler heads have prevailed after the hare-brained idea we pointed out below to close Altadena Drive for repaving right at Santa Rosa, i.e. Christmas Tree Lane, during the Christmas Tree Lane season.

Pasadena Now reports that Supervisor Michael Antonovich has stepped in, and the repaving will be delayed until after the season.

However, Allen will be torn up at Mendocino and "No Parking" signs will be put up around the Balian mansion ... okay, we're kidding.

Lake Avenue floating closure

And now it's the west side's turn to suffer:  Altadena Drive will be closed from Lake to Santa Rosa thru mid-January (which will make the Christmas Tree Lane traffic fun).

Fair Oaks construction update

Construction has started on Fair Oaks from Woodbury to Altadena Drive, so be prepared for slow traffic and delays for at least the next two months.  According to Ken Salehpour, area supervisor of construction for the LA County Department of Public Works, it's a complete reconstruction of the road -- concrete work (curbs and gutters) is scheduled for completion Friday, Oct. 19, and the existing street surface, both asphalt and base rock, will be removed and replaced.  The street is not scheduled to close, but it will be restricted to one lane each way as first the outside then inside lanes are replaced.  There may also be some "no left turn" areas during construction, so some people may need to think of a creative way to get home.  Construction is scheduled to finish about mid-December.

LA County hotlines are hot!

Trying to pin down some information on the construction on Fair Oaks from about Woodbury to -- well, north as far the eye can see, Altadenablog attempted to call the County Services Toll-Free Help Line (linked thru the Altadena Town Council page).  The 1-888-924-HELP line only gets an ad for another phone number, and then bounces you to ATT, where you're chastised for not making a call.  We'll keep trying, but a help line needs to be helpful!

Same results when we called Los Angeles County Dept. of Public Works 24 hour line on their website -- same cheery female voice promoting another phone line.  Out of curiosity, we called the number she was promoting.  When we connected, there was a bad 70's porno soundtrack and another recorded female voice who began, "Hey, sexy guy ..."  We didn't continue, but we bet we weren't going to get road closure information from her.  Your county tax dollars at work, sexy guy.