Los Angeles City Councilor Monica Rodriguez on Tuesday tabled a motion aimed at curbing illegal street racing by adding deterrents to common locations of races.
According to Rodriguez’s office, road races typically take place in areas with wide, straight roads with little traffic and easy access to highways and main roads that allow participants to disperse quickly. Traffic calming measures – like bumps, rumble strips, raised median strips, curb extensions, and roundabouts – could be developed in these areas to deter races, Rodriguez’s office said.
If approved by city council, the motion, backed by councilor Bob Blumenfield, would direct the Department of Transportation, the Bureau of Street Services and the Los Angeles Police Department’s Street Racing Task Force to work together on a report containing recommendations on traffic calming measures to be taken in areas with frequent illegal activities Road racing could be implemented.
The recommendations would include temporary devices that could be installed and removed in the areas, and the report would include a map overlaying known racing corridors and intersections with traffic data from Vision Zero, the Los Angeles mission that aims to eliminate road deaths by 2025 .
“Enforcement can’t be the only solution,” said Rodriguez. “We also need to incorporate a proactive approach with road design elements that make it difficult for drivers to take over and speed events that put our communities at risk.”
The motion would also direct LADOT and the LAPD’s Racing Task Force to meet every quarter and report to councilors’ offices on road racing data in their respective districts.
Comments are closed.