Two weeks ago I sent an email letter to the Mayor and every councilmember. To date, I have not received one single reply.
My first concern was the fact that the meters the public uses to push for the “pedestrian crossing’ at Oak Street and South Coast Highway have been covered up for the entire summer. Anyone who lives here knows how dangerous that intersection is. Day or night.
On Saturday night, I had to risk going into the street, arms waving, and yelling to get anyone to stop so an older man who’d been waiting forever could safely cross the street. This is unacceptable. Whether Caltrans is in charge or the City, these lights need to be accessed by the public.
I also expressed my support for numerous local ordinances such as the noise, smoking, and now plastic utensil ordinances. The problem is for the most part they’re a joke, and go unenforced. For that matter, how are they to be enforced?
Early on I tried a number of times to call the police when people would ignore my attempts to make them aware and comply, or I’d get the finger, or worse. Not once did an officer show up, and if he or she would have it would have been far too late.
All of this is worse if you happen to live near “The Village”.
Finally, I requested they look into speed bumps on Broadway Place (aka the alley behind Coast Hardware) as people constantly use this as a shortcut to avoid Broadway, speeding as they do so.
They also continually go the wrong way, speeding as well. It is extremely dangerous. These people are also often quite rude in the process. This cannot be blamed on tourists alone, at the very least. My garage abuts this alley, and every day I have to deal with the risk and the rudeness just to get out of my garage.
As someone who’s lived here for over 37 years, I don’t think it’s too much to ask for at least a response from our elected officials, but action would be even better.
Kurt Mahoney, Laguna Beach
I complained enough about the dangers of the crossing at Eagle Rock and PCH ( the most dangerous crossing in Laguna ) that my efforts caused , now retired, Sgt Faust to organize a crosswalk sting one afternoon about 12 years ago. It was highly successful, generating over 30 citations. Expensive, insurance affecting citations. I have been unsuccessfully attempting to recreate that afternoon. To no avail. I recently was able to get the attention of a community representative for the Police, but have heard nothing since. That Rep said she would submit the info. There seems to be a reluctance to enforce the challenge of an irresponsible crosswalk danger. Cars speeding into Laguna from the south at 50 MPH. How many need die to slow down the idiots ?????
Laguna residents conducted four years of Task Force meetings educating our LB Council members on the Complete Streets topic. We spent fifteen years giving Council, PTC, and residents recommendations to avert Laguna’s Carmageddon: https://lagunastreets.blogspot.com/
Vic Opincar and Gary Alstot died trying (RIP).
And you’re complaining to our no-mi-yob Council about fixing a Caltrans chicken-strip? Kurt you will have to join us, it ain’t over till it’s over.