By Stephen Meadows
As a retired engineering professor and patented inventor, I have lived in Venice beach since 1987. I served my country as a U.S. Marine, was a disaster relief volunteer and have a dined with two U.S. Presidents, (not the present one).
Over the past several years, I have written various bureaucracies in Los Angeles about the dangerous public safety issues along Speedway in Venice that have only increased in recent years and months. These issues are only compounded by the inability of Mr. Bonin and Mr. Garcetti to resolve the increased homeless population and filth currently being generated.
To be concise, they are:
• The posted speed limit on Speedway is 15 mph. Cars travel at over 35 mph daily.
• There are no stop signs at the end of the alleys intersecting Speedway.
• No crosswalks are painted at any of the intersections of speedway and the walk-streets.
• There are no “speedbumps” on Speedway.
• Very few 15 mph speed limit signs are posted.
From virtually every bureaucracy I contacted, the few that responded sent emails directing me to “other resources.” Essentially, I was told to make the issues my personal crusade.
Twenty million tourists a year visit Ocean Front Walk and generate substantial revenue for the City of Los Angeles. One would think that with these resources, the safety of millions of visitors would be more paramount in the minds of government officials. Is it really going to take a catastrophic traffic accident before anything gets done?
I do not know of any other beach community in Southern California where such dangerous, and potentially tragic, circumstances exist. If nothing else, perhaps this letter will increase awareness of the problems.
Cityhood seems the way forward for Venice… If only.
Stephen Meadows
Do you have a letter or article you would like shared with the Venice community? If so, send it to sam@yovenice.com with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject line.
