Road diet lifted in face of commuter uproar
The West Los Angeles road diet is coming to an end and Manhattan Beach residents and officials who clamored for its demise are warily optimistic. “Trust,” said Councilman Richard Montgomery. “But verify.” At issue are lanes that were eliminated last May along key commuter routes, particularly along Culver and Jefferson boulevards, intended both to increase bikeability and pedestrian safety. But the reduced lanes resulted in huge traffic snarls; local commuters saw their drive times increase by as much as 45 minutes and were outraged. Local elected officials, including Montgomery, Mayor David Lesser, and Supervisor Janice Hahn, worked to find a solution. The most locally impacted roadway, Vista Del Mar, was reverted back to two lanes each way in July after Hahn worked out a deal in which LA County made its beach parking lots available for low-cost parking, thus negating the need for parking along the street. But South Bay drivers were still delayed in the more northern parts of their commute. A residents group called Keep LA Moving filed a lawsuit in August demanding the lanes be reopened. Finally, on Oct. 18, Councilman Mike Bonin, who initiated the lane closures as part of his…
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