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Politics & Government

PVE Council Votes to Keep Speed Cushions on Via Del Monte

Palos Verdes Estates City Council voted Tuesday to keep speed cushions on Via Del Monte until better traffic calming measures could be implemented.

On Tuesday, the Palos Verdes Estates City Council voted unanimously in favor of denying a recommendation by the city traffic committee to remove speed cushions put in place on Via Del Monte earlier this year.

Whether it’s bumps, humps, or cushions, dozens of residents spoke out adamantly for and against the installation of traffic calming measures on Via Del Monte, a widely used thoroughfare to get to the top of the hill.

“The traffic concerns on Via Del Monte had been heard by the traffic committee many times,” Allan Rigg, city engineer, said. “In 2004 the committee decided that we need to go outside of our staff to do a traffic study on Via Del Monte. The purpose of that was to determine different measures that could be taken to slow traffic.”

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The firm Katz, Okitsu, and Associates was hired to complete the traffic study and in 2010 the Malaga Cove Homeowners’ Association specifically asked for speed cushions, signs, and stripes to be painted on the street, Rigg said. 

Speed cushions differ from speed humps in that they are two parallel humps with a gap in between, which theoretically allows bigger vehicles, such as fire engines, to forego having to slow down while passenger vehicles would have to roll over the cushions.

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Speed humps could not be put in place per a 1999 policy adopted by the city council rejecting the installation of speed humps on various streets, Via Del Monte included. Speed bumps are not used on any thoroughfare in Palos Verdes Estates, Rigg said.

A couple of speed cushions, along with other traffic calming measures, were put in place in March. The locations of the cushions were determined after traffic engineers determined other locations along Via Del Monte were too steep of a grade to install cushions.

Residents spoke for and against the cushions, the fire department stepped in, and the traffic committee was forced to reevaluate the measures.

“The traffic committee listened to the testimonies of the public, they looked at the changes of speeds, they had their own observations, we had the fire department concerned over their response times, and they eventually decided to recommend to remove the speed cushions,” Rigg said.

After logistical questions from the council members to Rigg, about 40 residents weighed in with their opinions on the topic.

“It surprises me that with a positive step forward we’re now trying to go backwards,” Matt Hill, PVE resident, said of the motion to remove the speed cushions.

While the majority of residents were in favor keeping the speed cushions during Tuesday night's meeting, a vocal minority, including resident Jim Dutton, opposed the measures.

“The street is completely unsuitable for these speed bumps. Via Del Monte is one of the few connecting routes up the hill, and as such we have heavy commuter service and construction truck traffic,” Dutton said. “At least four people who pass by my house each day honk at each bump to protest. People give the finger, shake fists, and shout curses to express anger.”

Rigg said the fire department recently revised their policy to restrict any measures that would impede their emergency response times. As such, completely removing the speed cushions would potentially mean having no traffic calming measures at all unless approved by the fire department. 

After the dozens of residents spoke out, council members debated the issue and voted unanimously to keep the speed cushions in place for now until better options could be explored. A revised policy to allow speed humps in place of cushions was proposed, although no motion was taken at the meeting.

“I’m willing to give up a few seconds [of emergency response time] for the safety of Via Del Monte,” Mayor Pro Tem George Bird said.

Ultimately the majority of residents got what they had argued for.

“I can’t say specifically that since we’ve had the speed cushions that our situation has improved,” Hill said. “But I see this as a good step forward for the neighborhood.”

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