To Stay or Go

I have to say that I was relieved to read Mary O’Keefe’s cover story on the new crosswalk at Ocean View Boulevard and Honolulu Avenue. I thought I was the only one who was decidedly under-impressed, not to mention downright confused, by the recently installed diagonal crosswalk.

I first became aware of this fiasco on Friday night after work. I had left my office at Honolulu and La Crescenta avenues and was traveling eastbound on Honolulu Avenue heading to Andersen’s Pet Shop to pick up my mom-in-law’s pup from the groomer. Traffic was backed up near Citibank in the 2300 block of Honolulu. From the way we were inching along I assumed that there was an accident. It wasn’t until I was four cars from the intersection that I realized there was no accident (unless one considers an accident in judgment by planners).

People were crossing the street normally and diagonally at various times. Unfortunately, the traffic lights were apparently retimed and the new schedule impacted traffic, both east and west bound, by backing it up. Only a couple of cars, literally, could make it through the intersection at a time. When I finally made it to the corner (but not through the intersection) and had been honked at by a frustrated driver behind me, I decided that I would dodge this bullet and turn southbound on Ocean View, then east on Broadview, then north on Market Street and back onto Honolulu to continue the half block to Andersen’s. But when I started to make my turn onto Ocean View, I almost hit a pedestrian because it was apparently an “all go” for walkers! I was mortified but apparently the gal crossing was a regular at this new system, because she smiled and nodded knowingly. From that point, I had to ask myself, “Do I stay or do I go?”

Now I’m not unfamiliar with the “all crossing” concept. I have tackled the diagonal crosswalk at the Americana both as a driver and as a pedestrian. That’s a huge intersection and being able to cross diagonally is a great idea. And I’ve spent some time in Las Vegas not far from Caesars Palace and downtown near Fremont where diagonal crosswalks were installed. Again – loved the concept. I didn’t have trouble navigating whether on foot on in a car.

But we don’t have the traffic of downtown Glendale or Las Vegas – nor do we want it. While increasing in popularity, which means more cars, we are far from a congested mess … that is until the diagonal crosswalk was installed.

Should it stay or should it go? You know my opinion; I’d like to hear yours. Send an email to robin@cvweekly.com, call the office at (818) 248-2740 or drop off a note. You can even go onto our website – www.cvweekly.com – and make a comment or fill out the form on page 7. I’d like to know what you think.

  robin goldsworthy