Return of eastbound lane follows widespread commuter criticism of roadway reconfiguration in Playa del Rey
By Gary Walker
Vista Del Mar and Culver Boulevard in May, when workers began the road diet.
Photo by John McKnight
Following weeks of relentless public outcry about traffic lane reductions in Playa del Rey, L.A. City Councilman Mike Bonin announced Thursday that he will order city workers to restore a second lane of eastbound traffic on Culver Boulevard.
Restriping work to restore the second eastbound lane on Culver is slated to begin Friday and continue into the weekend. Bike lanes on Culver will remain in place, and recent lane closures to Vista Del Mar, Pershing Drive and Jefferson Boulevard will not be impacted.
Bonin will also be hosting a public town hall meeting about Playa del Rey traffic concerns from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 29, at Roski Hall on the campus of Loyola Marymount University.
In May, city workers restriped Vista Del Mar, Pershing, Culver and Jefferson to reduce traffic flow to one lane in each direction. Bonin has cited 18 months of review and several traffic-related deaths as reason for the reconfiguration; South Bay commuters have launched an organized effort to undo the changes.
From the start, Bonin described the reconfiguration as a “pilot program” subject to further review at 30- and 60-day intervals.
In a note to constituents on Thursday, Bonin writes that public feedback— specifically “smart, forward-thinking suggestions we’ve received from you and neighbors like you” — impacted his decision to restore an eastbound traffic lane on Culver.
“Based on your input and the feedback of other neighbors in Playa del Rey, and on the recommendation of our traffic engineers who have vetted and analyzed the traffic data, LADOT is making an immediate change to the project that will address two of the biggest problems you have reported to us: gridlock on eastbound Culver Boulevard during the morning commute; and the abrupt and difficult transition from Nicholson Street onto Culver, which is causing additional congestion on Pershing Drive,” the letter reads.
“We’re doing this now because the feedback we received made it clear that there is widespread support for restoring a lane, and because we hope to have the improvement in place in time to make your morning drive next week easier and less stressful,” the letter continues.
gary@argonautnews.com
What about Venice Blvd????
I still want to know who voted Bonin back in??
Venice seems to be settling down. Sawtelle to Lincoln is 10-15 minutes most of the time. Just like before, but slower speeds in spots. Wasn’t that the point? The eastbound traffic turning left at Centinela backs up, also like before, that probably needs a longer green arrow.
The protests started before the paint even dried. Maybe these kinds of changes should be decided by ballot. It would be cheaper than changing things every time someone complains. Why even bother with elected officials in the first place. Mike “No Back” Bonin has a ring to it.
July 4th traffic coming to the beach also didn’t help his little “safety project.” Culver was backed up for miles and I’m sure the cops and residents weren’t too pleased either.
Still seems incredibly dumb to keep the street parking as-is on Vista Del Mar. That street should be used purely for traffic and all parking should be relegated to the ample beach parking lots.
Totally agree.. The parking does not make it safer on VDM, it only creates more people traffic competing with vehicle traffic and kids still running across to get to the park. AND don’t forget the garbage that is left behind.!!! DUMB
And where were those genius traffic engineers before this all got started? [Bonehead] is a moron. Need a recall. Now. Before he and Garcetti get any more ideas on “enhancing” our traffic experience.
Northbound Jefferson needs to have the two lanes restored, too!
Bonin blinked. You can fight City Hall.
What we really need to do is widen the bike lanes on the beach going through Venice. Now that’s a disaster that really needs redoing. All the pedestrians that clog it up and the people on motorized three wheeled trikes hogging the space (not to mention the for hire pedicabs). We need two separate one way lanes north and south and we need the pedestrians on the boardwalk not in the bike lanes. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION ( at present) ON THE BEACH BIKE WAY!!!! The people on skateboards on the walkway are also VERY DANGEROUS!
The purpose of Bikes Lanes is to cause traffic congestion by removing lanes for vehicle traffic. If I recall the bike lanes about which you speak, they are not down major thoroughfares. Thus, impoving them would only help cyclists and do nothing to make traffic congestion worse
This change is good but it should be the only major change to the existing configuration. Future improvements should focus on the stretch the goes from the intersection with Jefferson and the 90 freeway (a few fatalities happened there) .
I hope Bonin and the Playa del rey residents don’t succumb to the whims of the thousands of people from other cities that use our streets as freeways. It’s really sad to see a few “residents” used as puppets of the neighboring communities to spear head the attacks on safety (special interest Russo and company).
The SB threats about taking business away from Playa are not only low but unsubstantiated, we never had their business anyways.
adding lights and stops are of no use by themselves (we definitely need more of those in addition to the current changes since South bayers are still speeding like crazy), it’s not about the people that follow the law or the few that get caught by the police (BTW remember the cop to got hit on Mancheter and Pershing?), it’s about the ones that don’t. We only need one of the hundreds that use Playa Del Rey as a race track to overlook the signs and lights to kill someone (but that is ok … right Russo? it’s the pedestrians fault anyways).
Bravo!
“Smart, forward-thinking?” – Is that a code phrase for liberal? Is he suggesting most residents are not capable of forming an opinion about traffic lanes? Can je be this arrogant and obnoxious?
This change is good but it should be the only major change to the existing configuration. Future improvements should focus on the stretch that goes from the intersection with Jefferson and the 90 freeway (a few fatalities happened there) .
I hope Bonin and the Playa del rey residents don’t succumb to the whims of the thousands of people from other cities that use our streets as freeways. It’s really sad to see a few “residents” used as puppets of the neighboring communities to spear head the attacks on safety (special interest Russo and company).
The SB threats about taking business away from Playa are not only low but unsubstantiated, we never had their business anyways.
adding lights and stops are of no use by themselves (we definitely need more of those in addition to the current changes since South bayers are still speeding like crazy), it’s not about the people that follow the law or the few that get caught by the police (BTW remember the cop to got hit on Mancheter and Pershing?), it’s about the ones that don’t. We only need one of the hundreds that use Playa Del Rey as a race track to overlook the signs and lights to kill someone (but that is ok … right Russo? it’s the pedestrians fault anyways).
Your tax and gas tax dollars are not specific to a zipcode. Get a grip and stop being so selfish and small-minded.
How about restoring a second lane of WESTbound traffic on Culver Boulevard?!
Bonin put in the Bike lanes knowing that there already was a lawsuit over the city adding bike lanes without doing adequate studies. Like all the other city officials, he gave the royal finger to everyone because he and Garcetti wanted Bike Lanes.
It’s not enough. I live in Playa, and it needs to go back to the 2 lanes each way on Culver as it was before. Only half the problem that Mike Bonin has ineptly created has been rectified. Unfortunately, it will now cost even more to put things right because a third restriping will be needed. Bonin flushing our tax dollars away…
so, the changes along the beach are good…the rest, a disaster that solved no problems. I didn’t notice a single bike in the new bike lanes along culver and jefferson, while sitting in endless traffic. why would you bike there anyway, when you can take a pleasant ride along the ocean? and, if this was an ” experiment” why were expensive ruberirised lane markers used? how much money was wasted on this ill conceived political “solution”
The Culver Blvd bridge over Bologna Creek needs to be widened to two lanes in each direction and the wetlands need to give up 12 feet on either side of Culver Blvd and the street should be sufficiently widened to have two lanes in each direction and a bike lane. What ever happened to eminent domaine for the good of everyone??? It is beyond my comprehension that we can’t widen Culver Blvd to accommodate everyone. The wetlands will be just fine without the 12 feet necessary between Nicholson and east of Lincoln. Get a grip city planners. You can’t put 20 pounds and a five pound bag. Widen the street and everyone’s problems go away.
Solution: why not only one bike path lane needed on Jefferson Blvd to Culver?
Problem: Similar to Kent Genzlinger’s concern, I commute west from Del Rey to MB and the now constricted one lane to turn left onto Culver from Jefferson is not only B.S., but it’s a cause for road rage. Traffic has stacked up three fold at least and backs up a good half mile. You should really see/experience it for your own eyes. I emplore you to do a new traffic study. I wanted to kill myself stuck in this bullshit line. There are no bikers on the west bound side of Jefferson. Why can’t all bikers be moved to the left side and this be restored to the correct traffic path that seemed to work?
The purpose of bike lanes is to increase traffic congestion. That is why the city does no bona fide studies in advance. Doing an actual study based on mathematics and medical science is seen as asking for permission and the City’s approach is to do whatever it wants and then apologize afterwards if it receives to much flack. You can look for many more bike lanes in major streets as protected bike lanes is the best way to create gridlock. Then the city complains about how terrible the traffic has become in order to justify spending billions of dollars on subways and light rail lines. As always, follow the dollars.