Traffic Signal Stirs Heated Debate

Tempers ran high during a debate over stoplights in the Hollywood Riviera at Tuesday's Redondo Beach City Council meeting, and one woman even used the middle finger to express her displeasure after councilmen voted to leave the stoplights in their current setting.

At issue was whether the tricolor stoplights at the intersection of Avenue I and the Esplanade should remain as flashing red lights, be replaced with stop signs or have the tricolor lights turned back on.

The lights have been positioned at the intersection for 50 years.

According to a presentation from city staff, a traffic signal is not necessary at the location. Staff recommended the signal heads be replaced with stop signs; however, the local public works commission recommended the Council reenergize the signal, changing it back to a "normal" tricolor light.

Those who were in favor of reenergizing the stoplight spoke about how the tricolor light made the intersection safer.

Mike Farrell, a retired detective with the Los Angeles Police Department, said reenergizing the light would limit the city's liability if a car ran into a pedestrian.

"I don't understand why the city would want to reduce what I believe is the most safe traffic control device that's there now with the lowest," he said.

"If the tri-lights are working … city liability is reduced to probably zero," he said. "If the City Council reduces the tri-light signal to a stop sign, it is my opinion that the city will open itself to civil liability."

In an email sent to Councilman Steve Aspel and read aloud to the rest of the Council, Esplanade resident Mary Drummer called cars that don't stop at stop signs for pedestrians "urban terrorism" and asked the Council to reenergize the light.

"They are abusing the honor system of a blinking stoplight and are endangering others in the name of inconvenience," she said.

Other residents said they were concerned that many people didn't seem to realize that the pedestrian signals no longer worked.

Nevertheless, others spoke in favor of keeping the light in the flashing red mode. Victor Anderson, another Esplanade resident, said that even though many people roll through the stop sign, people are at least slowing down.

Before, people "were always racing down Avenue I, trying to make either a left or right on a stale yellow light and endangering the public," he said. When the light was changed to flashing red, "people at least stopped, and even if they made a 'California stop,' they were at least slowing down or trying to stop … We felt it was a lot more safe than the tricolor light."

Jeff Ginsberg, a public works commissioner who recused himself from the public works vote, spoke to the Council in his capacity as a citizen.

"Now everybody has to stop," he said. "It's very, very nice … Occasionally, there's going to be somebody that may run a stop sign, but that same person may probably run a stoplight as well."

Ginsberg also said that he thinks traffic flows better now that the light acts as a stop sign.

Redondo Beach resident Lenore Bloss suggested a compromise.

"I have to say, when I was first down there and saw the blinking light, I thought, 'Wow, this is great,'" she said. "I think the compromise here is to retain the flashing red light, but not have the three-way or tri-color [removed]."

Most of the councilman agreed with Bloss' compromise.

"When there's a green light there, people do go faster," said Councilman Bill Brand, who also noted that with a flashing red light, people know they have to stop so they "don't really get [their] speed up."

"I'm sure people are going to run lights anyway," he said. "What swayed me, too, was pedestrian behavior."

Aspel, who represents the district, agreed, saying "At least [cars] are slowing down more." He suggested that the city might turn the tricolor functions back on for special events, such as during the Fourth of July.

North Redondo Beach Councilman Steven Diels said that in his district, city engineers installed a stop sign in front of a traffic signal because people rushed to make yellow lights.

"People are complex and crazy, and we just can't predict whatever they're going to do," he said.

Councilman Pat Aust was the only one on the council who wanted the light reenergized.

"The traffic signals are the superior method of traffic control above stop signs," said Aust, who began his career with the city in 1969 as a traffic signal technician. "I believe that the traffic signal, especially in a long stretch like that … and if it were all just stop signs, it would be less effective."

The motion, which asked city staff to keep the tricolor stoplights in the flashing red position but remove the pedestrian signals, carried, with only Aust dissenting.