Los Feliz Ledger [editorial]
[open mike]
A Case Study in Los Angeles Bureaucracy: The Stop Signs at Rodney and Kingswell
Upset over Richard Stanley’s Column Change
By Matt Summers If you take a stroll through the normally pedestrian friendly streets of Los Feliz you most likely will have crossed the intersection of Kingswell Avenue and Rodney Drive basically, in the heart of Los Feliz Village. One day three years ago, I noticed at the intersection there were no signs along Kingswell. All along Rodney, from Franklin Avenue to Hollywood Boulevard, are four-way stops. Clearly there is a pattern of complete traffic stops in all directions. But, why wasn’t there a four-way stop at Kingswell and Rodney? Traffic in all directions was confused. Cars heading east or west would stop when they didn’t need to. Cars heading south on Rodney would assume Kingswell traffic would stop—and they wouldn’t. Pedestrians would begin to cross the intersection thinking the pattern of four-way stops continued only to be met with an aggressive horn or almost hit. Filled with considerable anecdotal data, I wrote to the
Dept. of Transportation; Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge; the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council and the editor of the Los Feliz Ledger asking that a four-way stop be erected at the site. The city tested the intersection and deemed a four-way stop was not necessary. The main justification for this was there has not been enough reported accidents. Undeterred, I reached out to Councilmember Tom LaBonge. He met with me at the site and agreed to file a motion to induce the Dept. of Transportation to add the stop sign. He did and nothing happened. Still waiting and fighting this two years later, I proposed to the city to add a “Cross Traffic Does Not Stop” sign beneath the stop signs on Rodney. They denied my request. Finally, the city, in 2009 approved the removal of the stop signs on Rodney and approved the installation
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of new stop signs on Kingswell, of which would include “Cross Traffic Does Not Stop” signs. After all my requests to add stop signs to Kingswell, the city will, by removing them from Rodney! This brings us back to the same predicament as we were in at the beginning. I tried, once again, to lobby the city to install the 4-way stops. Nothing. Yet just a few weeks ago, surprisingly—amazingly— joyously, my wife drove by Kingswell and Rodney and stop signs were being installed! How they were approved, I don’t know. But the time this simple process took, the cost to a bankrupt city of installing these two stop signs and the overall backwards thinking is obnoxious. If one were to ever look at why a big city is run poorly, the case of the Kingswell at Rodney intersection is a prime example. Matt Summers is a resident of Los Feliz.
If it’s true that Richard Stanley has been fired and will no longer be contributing to the Los Feliz Ledger because of complaints from critics, how very sad for the residents of Los Feliz! I thought the purpose/ mission of the Los Feliz Ledger was to foster community dialogue. As such, I find it reprehensible that a little criticism would stifle openness in the conversation. Since I don’t pay for the Ledger, I can’t threaten to cancel my subscription; but I will think twice about placing any value on information contained in the publication in the future. I’ve always found Richard Stanley’s column to be very informative and helpful in demystifying the real estate business and practices. I don’t understand how anyone can construe his columns as disparaging of realtors or the industry in general. If the criticism is being leveled by other brokers or industry members then perhaps a little introspection is in order. Pebble Wilkins
www.losfelizledger.com
I have just heard that the regular columnist Richard Stanley has been discontinued. That is a shame! His outlook toward Los Feliz has been to keep faith with its roots, the historic residences (without legal constraints), and honesty in real estate dealings. He found the condo I am now in. What is more, he has written cogently about many topics in the real estate business in Los Feliz and in general. My sister in law has been a realtor in the Denver area for years and has been furious with the selfish wheelerdealers in her profession who besmirch others who are scrupulously honest. Sound familiar? Charlotte Cremin Finley Avenue
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August 2010