A pedestrian was hit by an automobile in a crosswalk on Santa Monica Boulevard at Ogden last night, bringing to 17 the number of pedestrian crosswalk accidents in West Hollywood so far this year.
Lt. William Nash of the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station said the accident occurred at about 8:15 p.m. He said the pedestrian declined medical treatment and apparently was not seriously injured.
Pedestrian accidents have become a major issue in West Hollywood since the injury in June of a man hit by a car while in a crosswalk on Santa Monica Boulevard at Westmount and the death in August of Clinton Bounds, a well-known figure in West Hollywood’s gay nightlife community, who was hit by a car while apparently jaywalking across Santa Monica Boulevard at night.
The West Hollywood City Council on Monday instructed city staffers to develop a plan for installing stoplights at crosswalks on Santa Monica Boulevard that would be synchronized with those at traffic intersections. That plan and other suggestions for improving crosswalk safety will be considered on Monday at a joint meeting of the city’s Transportation and Public Safety commissions, with a final recommendation going to the Council on Oct. 6.
There were 28 pedestrian crosswalk accidents in 2012 and 22 last year. The majority of accidents occurred in crosswalks with traffic stoplights, which some observers attribute to the increased volume of traffic and pedestrians at those street intersections.
I wonder how many people actually look for traffic before walking across the street, either in a cross walk or even jay walking. All the signs in the world mean nothing if people don’t use common sense, If the traffic looks really heavy and you don’t feel comfortable at a crosswalk, do like I do, wait for a couple people to gather there and then cross in a group. or the other alternative is to go the nearest traffic light crossing. I see people all the time casually walking across the street as if nothing bad could happen. Pedestrians do… Read more »
I don’t believe under state law West Hollywood can ban trucks, and the speed limits on major streets that pass through the city also, as I understand it, also need to be coordinated with other cities. Slow down the speed, and traffic at times will back up, and more drivers will then go on side streets, causing more problems.
This is why we need to leave these decisions to the qualified traffic engineers working for the city and not us amateurs here.
I agree though that throughout the whole city we need better lighting on streets.
[A] ban large vehicles over 12-14 tires! [B] Lower the speed limits on all streets in WeHo by 5mph. [C] Lighted street crossings, like Santa Monica has. RED lights NOT YELLOW. Drivers are conditioned to stop for RED, and speed up to be a YELLOW, which makes it more dangerous. Expecting pedestrians to cross only at Street Signals is illogical. People simply are not going to walk blocks out of their way to get across a street. EVERY street corner needs a crosswalk. At the MINIMUM a painted, and ‘signed’ crosswalk; BEST a lighted crosswalk at every intersection on Santa… Read more »
“Resources” and “money” are not synonymous. As long as there are cars and pedestrians, there will be accidents. That’s part of the bargain. Throwing money at a problem is not a guarantee that the problem will be solved. Also, the-90 day window designated by Larry as the test period is misleading. How about we get individuals with city planning and urban design expertise into this and not someone looking to make a name for himself by proclaiming that the “sky is falling.” Larry’s attempts to accomodate this issue as his own reminds me of Duran’s alarmist response to the meningitis… Read more »
Yes…resources are sooooo limited…Pedestrians before Staircases! http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-west-hollywood-park-20140728-story.html
Resources are limited?! They’re spending $3MM on a STAIRCASE in a park! You have got to be kidding, right? And what, exactly, would you consider a “real” issue if not the 17 pedestrian/auto accidents that have happened in 9 months? Also, Alison, is it too much to ask for some decorum in these comments? Telling someone to shut up is rude.
Signs are up..lets see if they help and we are safer in the next 90 days than the past 90 days.
“The West Hollywood City Council on Monday instructed city staffers to develop a plan for installing stoplights at crosswalks on Santa Monica Boulevard that would be synchronized with those at traffic intersections.” YES! We pedestrians CAN wait at these crosswalks just as we do at intersections for our turn to cross, alternating with the crossing of cars. Traffic flow will NOT be impeded. Win/win. And COMMON SENSE!!!
There is no sense of urgency because this is an inflated issue, Larry, by those trying to make a name for themselves in local politics. Resources are limited. Let’s address real issues not non-issues that hard numbers easily discredit.
Monique….people are getting hit in crosswalks too. That is not the answer!
Larry…just shut up already. We know what you want. They said they would put up temp signs when they put them up for the Festival. It won’t matter. We have a major problem with drivers AND the pedestrians. Those signs won’t make much difference.
I really wish people would stop jay walking and for the city to install more crosswalks!! It’s a terrible tragedy but there have been so many times where I have nearly hit someone who ran in front of my car at night.
This is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.