None of the vehicles shown in the two photographs were part of a funeral procession, this is what Western normally looks like, even on a Saturday. The photo below was taken by me standing at the Ponte Vista site entrance at Green Hills Drive and Western Avenue. The red light is at the intersection of Avenida Aprenda and Western Avenue. At the top of the photo is the intersection of Delasonde/Westmont and Western Avenue.
This shot shows that it appears not too many folks are trying to go towards San Pedro, but are trying to find their way out of San Pedro and eastern R.P.V.
Now here is another shot taken from about the same location. You can see Bruce Horton's waving hand in the foreground. Just beyond Bruce and attend her first Western Avenue demonstration is Terri Wells. Looking south we see not too much traffic for a Saturday afternoon.
Now look at the top of the photo. Can you see the white car attempting to turn into the Rite-Aid parking lot? Look closer and there seems to be another white car approaching the white car attempting to turn through its path. Fortunately the car traveling north was going slow enough to avoid hitting the car intruding on its path. I did not tamper with this photo in any way, other than resizing it to fit on this post. Had the northbound car not been going as slow as it was, it would either have had to hit the car crossing its path or attempt to swerve out of the other car's way and possibly go into the slow lane. The sign blocks any view of another car in the slow lane traveling north on Western.
If Bob actually adds to the number of Senior Housing units at Ponte Vista that he wants to build and IF they are approved of, how many more "senior" drivers would attempt to make the same left hand turn the unidentified driver attempted in this photo? Whether going to Rite-Aid, Albertson's or any other shop or restaurant in that shopping area, there are two uncontrolled left-hand turn lanes that drivers can use.If Bob is allowed to build with greater density than R1, would the driver of that white car crossing the path of the other white car even find an empty parking spot after the car entered the lot?
Pretend that this photo was taken after the building of even 1,200 units at Ponte Vista. Then think about what the snarl would be if the two white cars actually collided. Even for a short time, many, many drivers would be troubled by trying to navigate around all the emergency vehicles and tow trucks cleaning up the mess of that one careless driver.
Sure, the number one issue is traffic. Where would careless drivers, more elderly drivers, more potential collisions, full parking lots, and other issues fit into the equation?
Now pretend that the careless driver cut in front of a truck carrying hazardous materials and a collision resulting in the release of those hazardous materials occurred. It really isn't that hard to pretend, is it.
As we await folks suggesting that this blog sometimes deals with issues as if "the sky is falling", please note that if proper examination and investigation into all aspects of any large development being built at the Ponte Vista site is overlooked or not done correctly, then all of us, including supporters of Bob's will become Monday Morning Quarterbacks in a situation that cannot be fixed.
If you don't think something like this could happen, just ask Donald Rumsfeld or the designers of the Titanic. OUR community cannot afford to screw this one up.
6 comments:
Bummer that I missed you Mark. I got there at 12:00, not realizing that it only went till 12:00. Anyhow we stayed till about 12:30 until the tow truck arrived to tow cars parked at the enterances of Ponte Vista. I had fun. Can't wait for the next go at it. We got lots of positive responses for the 1/2 hr I was there!
One funny note as I was driving along western to get to the picket, I noticed people waiting in a huge line at the bank next to Cocos. They were standing in line to use the ATM!!! Man, can you imagine how bad it will be IF Bisno gets his way!
aNOnymous
i came across a signature gatherer in front of Thrifty's today, who quickly showed me copy of Bisno's editorial a while back claiming the units will be "affordable".
OK, now we are getting a little strange. Imagine if a car cut in front of a truck with hazardous materials. Now imagine that the International Space Stations computers went down and it entered the earth's atmosphere and landed on San Pedro. During a hurricane. On a dark and stormy night. Yes, the Titanic sank - in 1912. Meanwhile thousands of ships have safely made it.
And I can drive just fine, thank you. Most seniors can still drive. Rather than looking at the unlikely, how about working with the Ponte Vista people to recommend what improvements on Western would help all of us who use it.
Hey Louis,
How about what? "working with the Ponte Vista people to recommend what improvements on Western would help all of us who use it"?
No thanks. How about building a damn road between Western and Gaffey? How about calling for a light-rail line in Pedro? How about forking over money to repave Gaffey?
Are these things being urged by the developer? No. They would help.
Sorry, synchronizing traffic signals just isn't going to cut it chief.
Well actually L Dominguez and others, Bob did look at the drawing of a road between Western and Gaffey that I drew. A similar drawing still sits on this blog.
I hope everyone reads the Western Avenue Task Force's summary and recommendations. I used some of the recommendations when I was on the CAC and got really no response from anyone on the Bisno staff.
L.D., I expected exactly what I got from you and nobody is surprised by your comment. There is much more likelyhood that a Haz Mat problem can occur than either the space station falling on San Pedro, or just about any other "disaster" that could occur, and you know it!
You may be a fine driver know, but if you get older, your skills will decline and are you prepared to give up driving? My dad gave up driving many years before he went into Los Palos, and we had to take away our mom's car because she became a danger to herself and others. Do you have anyone that can determine when you become unsafe to drive?
Before left turn signals were place on northbound Western at Trudie, I heard probably at least 100 collisions between vehicle drivers believing they could turn in front of southbound drivers on Western, but didn't make it before the crash happened. Must we put left turn signals at every parking entrance along Western?
Oh, and if you think my "at least 100 collisions" is a bit too high L.D., please remember that I spent the first 21 years of my life in a home five houses above Western.
Collisions will occur. More vehicles mean more collisions and more clean-up nightmares, hospital trips, and other bad things, whether nothing is built or 1,950 units are built. It seems to me that keeping the lowest number of vehicles possible along Western might be better.
L. Dominguez, I have made many suggestions about Western, Traffic, and many other things concerning Ponte Vista. Have you done the same? If not, why not?
Thanks Anonymous 9:13 for your comment. My sister was going into a supermarked earlier this week when she was asked if she thought it San Pedro needed "more affordable housing in San Pedro" She was in a hurry and said she would consider it as she shopped and she accepted a printed flyer from the petition gatherer. The first line of the flyer contained the words "Ponte Vista" and when she left the store, she crumpled up the piece of paper and handed it to the female petition gatherer.
Thanks Ruth!
It looks like Bob's paid squad is working on weekdays to try and catch signatures. Probably the R1 folks are going to have to start finding out where these folks are and try to stand near them to provide the truth.
A $330,000.00, six hundered square foot "studio" unit at Ponte Vista would be less affordable than a one-bedroom unit at many condo developments in San Pedro, and the dues and fees at the older developments would probably be more affordable that what may be at Ponte Vista, and so purchasing a unit at Ponte Vista would be factually less affordable than many units already in San Pedro and currently available.
And if MLS doesn't lie, then the above paragraph is true.
MW
Garden Village is booming since the center was revitalized several years ago. The traffic sucks causing increasing safety traffic hazards. Albertson's poor traffic planning and Seaport Luxury condo traffic fiasco are reason enough to condition the approval of Ponte Vista on road improvments....not merely good intentions to someday mitigate the traffic impact Ponte Vista will impose.
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