An Intersection Needs Policing

Editor,

Why should North Laguna residents continue to have to suffer through  unnecessarily chaotic and frustrating traffic conditions which are occurring with increasing frequency at Beach and Broadway, regardless of the season of the year. It is caused by intersection blocking. What is most irritating is that there appears to be very little effort by our police department to enforce the vehicle dode section dealing with intersection blocking (CVC 22526 (a,b). Violation carries a fine of $200 plus various added costs.

We North Lagunans have but two ways to downtown. One route is via predictably congested Coast Highway. The other route is via Beach and Broadway.  The pavement there is clearly marked “Keep Clear”, and signs hang from signal light standards stating “Do Not Block Intersection”. Only a few drivers choose to obey either advisory.

It would seem that enforcement of CVC 2256 should be a priority item of a coordinated traffic management program between traffic managers and police, particularly for a town with a well-known reputation for traffic chaos.

The resultant effect of intersection blocking is so immediately obvious that is hard to believe that no one on our police force has observed this frequent occurrence at Beach and Broadway. Why are offending drivers not being cited?

We North Lagunans want to support our local economy. For all practical purposes, whenever this intersection is blocked, we are denied access to our town. Our local merchants ultimately suffer the consequences.  When we can’t get “there” from “here”, we are forced to do our shopping elsewhere, definitely not good for Laguna merchants. 

Our police should at least try to make it easier for us to spend our money locally by strict enforcement of the intersection blocking law at Beach and Broadway and at all other major intersections in town.

Don Knapp, Laguna Beach