Friday, December 16, 2016

South Laguna the Stepchild of LB

To reduce auto traffic congestion in Laguna Beach the city should take action to build travel modalities as alternatives to the automobile, they are walkways, bikeways, transit stops and their amenities.

This is a Google Map view at Aliso Creek - a primary ecological feature of South Laguna. In 1987 South Laguna was annexed to Laguna Beach in order to share and benefit from the same city services as Laguna Beach - at least when viewed on paper. The physical boundary between the two remains unchanged, the only safe means for South Lagunan's to travel north-south is by motorized vehicle or Trolley on PCH or risk walking on the roadway on both sides of PCH.





This picture shows the Aliso Pedestrian bridge over South Coast Highway (PCH). Notice the only route north-south to South Laguna is though this choke point. Let's take a closer view from the street at the bridge.
Here is the street view northbound on PCH at the bridge. From a cyclists perspective the fog-line (not a bikelane) disappears into a Caltrans cheese grader, from a pedestrian's perspective there are no provisions at all. Weekend mornings you may see dog-walkers sharing the #2 lane with weekend traffic passing here at 50mph (posted speed is 40mph).






Here is the same street view on PCH at the bridge looking southbound. In 2001 a pedestrian was struck and killed north of Ruby's diner where the roadway is less dangerous than here, still fifteen years later nothing was done to improve pedestrian safety there nor here. Across the street there is no sidewalk - it ends the Montage Resort. Were it not for the Montage there would be no sidewalk at all.




For pedestrians or cyclists from South Laguna the safe route to visit Gelson's, CVS, Sinaloa or Ruby's since 1987 remains:
  • Walk in the fog-lane down PCH
  • Aliso pedestrian tunnel to Aliso Beach
  • Beach shorebreak to Aliso Pedestrian Bridge
  • Aliso Circle to Wesley Drive
  • Wesley Drive to shopping center
  • Sidewalk to Ruby's and points between.
 Meanwhile cities elsewhere implement alternatives to motorized congestion.
-LS

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