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Press-Telegram Series Provides Insight On Traffic Trouble by Ryan ZumMallen | Archive | 12.21.09 |
+ In case you missed it, the Press-Telegram over the weekend debuted an interesting series on the most dangerous roads and intersections in Long Beach. The subsequent articles provide some fascinating information and rank the most accident-prone areas (staff writer Kelly Puente does a fantastic job with more than a half-dozen articles on the issue), but the series really shines online with an interactive map that tells us a lot about our driving habits. It’s pretty well established that Long Beach has traffic troubles. Some of its intersections are among Southern California’s most congested, and the Press-Telegram article reports that between 25-30 fatalities are recorded each year. So they’re not only busy, they can be dangerous. But it’s interesting to note which areas are busy, and which areas are dangerous; because according to the Press-Telegram’s interactive map, those two things are not the same. For example, the interactive map notes that the most traffic accidents that result in injuries occur almost exclusively in central Long Beach, in the area south of 7th Street but east of Pacific Avenue and west of Temple. However, the map notes that the city’s most congested intersections are almost exclusively on the eastern side of the city, with top honors going to 7th/PCH with 2nd/PCH not far behind (the traffic circle is a surprising 7th place). So while the city’s most congested intersections lie to the east, the most dangerous intersections (for drivers and pedestrians) can be found in central Long Beach. The overarching theme of Puente’s series is that drivers and pedestrians alike should exercise extreme caution when using intersections. What do you think the series tells us about our driving habits? What needs to be done to make our streets safer?
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15 Comments so far.
Ronald Swerdloff The PCH traffic circle may not be the most congested but it is certainly one of the most difficult intersections (If a circle is an intersection)to manuever. I have driven it thousands of time and had only one accident on a wet morning when the car going north from PCH to Lakewood spun out and the car hit the curb. I am surprised that it is not one of the higher accident sites. Paul This is a direct result of our Mayor and Council making millionare cops, rather than enough cops. For those who say more cops don't stop crime, look at the Y2K stats, where every cop was on duty, that could be. Also, the thouands brought here by Long Beach sniveling Liberal social policy, that have cars without permits or insurance. Scared to drive Drivers both in cars, motorcycles and on bicycles need to obey the traffic laws ie. Stop Signs, Traffic lights and speed limits. Our streets would then be much safer. LB Lifer 7th St at PCH is a nightmare, especially going westbound. And it's only going to get worse. They need to do a better job synching those lights. Unsafe construction All street construction projects around schools should be prohibited during primary school semesters. Street construction projects around CSULB, LBCC and other schools seem to always coincide with the beginning of the fall and spring semesters when traffic is at its highest, while there is little activity during the summer and winter breaks. This is extremely unsafe and unnecessary! Bill There has been a carefully crafted proposal for years to create a park at MLK/7th/Alamitos, thus eliminating the single most dangerous intersection in the entire city, and providing a park in the densest area of the city with the least amount of green space. Independent traffic studies have shown it would not make the traffic any worse, and might even make it better. So: Why has it been stalled? I am sure some people who regularly read these posts know why! Let's hear about it! And let's finally fix it with a park. CHARLIE Yeah, that traffic circle is something else. I remember a couple of times when I had to go around the Dxxx thing several times to slip into the lane I needed to move on; But before they work on the traffic prolems here - they better figure out first how to eliminatw the Beck & West problem? It's a h*** of a lot more serious than the traffic problems! calheightsjohnny Intersections, especially in older areas of the city, can be made safer by limiting tall vehicles parked where they block drivers' and pedestrians' views of oncoming traffic. Enforcing existing laws that off-street parking spaces and garages are used as such could eliminate a good percentage of street parking that limits visibility from driveways, sidestreets and intersections. Still, no number of signs and rules can make us safe from those carelessly selfish people who insist that the rules of the road are not theirs to follow, oblivious to the potentially tragic consequences of their actions. Foreign Intrigue It should not be unexpected that the area with the most accidents is south of 7th between Pacific and Temple. This and its neighboring areas are populated by a very large number of persons who are first generation in America. They come from cultures that have different attitudes about automobile / pedestrian traffic procedures and protocols, which most native born and native educated people take as second nature. Where they non-native born come from, "rules of the road" generally do not exist, and where they do exist, they are considered by the populus as "suggestions." People don't drive within the lane lines. Stop signals really don't mean anything, and traffic laws are not generally obeyed. It's a totally different mindset. Native born Americans generally drive more defensively and generally obey the traffic laws because they have been indoctrinated since childhood into that way of living. CHARLIE The traffic circle is a nightmare getting off... Be Careful Looking at this map I would say be very cautious anywhere on 7th or PCH. SSS LB is a difficult city to drive in. Peds, bikes, s8boarders, motorized wheelchair people, and J-walkers do not obey traffic rules. I see it all the time. It's a wonder they don't get run over more. The signals and crosswalks are there for a reason. When I'm out walking, I never take for granted that the person driving the car sees me. If I have to make eye contact first, I do so before walking, obey traffic signals and walk in crosswalks. Ped deaths are high for a reason. (I'm not including the DUI nuts and regular nuts who run people over in non-signal, but marked crosswalks) I'm strictly talking about Pedestrians who take risks dashing across lanes of traffic across a busy boulevard. For the person who said they can't drive the traffic circle, just practice dude. Driver Traffic circles are great. Travel to Europe and see how well they work with drivers who know how to use them. use signals and pay attention!!! Erin Can we turn 2nd and PCH into a traffic circle? Just wondering if anyone has researched it as a congestion solution? We could capitalize on it by treating the circle center as an impressive City gateway with public art - I'm thinking Arch de Triumph! BUGABOO BOO If you want to make the streets in Long Beach safer - install more bicycle paths and license the bicyclists in LB to pay for the costs.
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LBPOST.com Managing Editor Ryan ZumMallen keeps up on all the current and breaking Long Beach news.
Ryan ZumMallen has served as the managing editor of the LBPOST.com since 2007. He graduated from CSULB with a degree in Print Journalism in 2008 and is a member of the 2009 class of Leadership Long Beach. You can find him on various basketball courts around the city.
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