Community Corner

Krekorian Launches Crosswalk to Help Walter Reed Middle School Students

With the help of his son Andrew and daughter Lori, Los Angeles City Council member Paul Krekorian pressed a button and launched a streetlight at the intersection of Landale Street and Colfax Avenue.

“We are getting this turned on so that the intersection will be safe for upcoming school year for Walter Reed Middle School children,” Krekorian said.

Carlos Rios, a city Department of Transportation traffic engineer, said intersections like this have been erected throughout the city.

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“The California Safe Routes to School grant has financed new traffic signals like this throughout the city,” Rio said. The money has come from the California State Assembly and representatives from State Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian were at the intersection launch. The money also came from Prop C grants voted on in the past.

The new signal also includes two new speed feedback signs, new ADA access ramps which will benefit the more than 1,700 students who go to the middle school.

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The signal is at the intersection of Colfax Avenue and Landale Street, between Moorpark Street and Sarah Street and up the block from where two twin girls were struck last year.

“People are still driving too fast along these streets, and they always need to be cautious, but especially around school zones,” said Krekorian, who doesn’t live too far away in Studio City and will probably be using the intersection himself with his family. 

Rios and the other traffic officials at the intersection said this is one of more than 4,600 traffic signals in Los Angeles, and this one in particular will allow for longer walking time during the busy hours in the morning and after school.

The box near the signal was opened up and Krekorian could flip the on-off switch inside. He did it.

“It is good that we are doing this during summer break and installing the safety measures now,” Krekorian said.

Then, Krekorian and Andrew, 8, and Lori, 5, inaugurated the crosswalks by being the first to cross with the new light.

See the photo gallery above and the videos of the Traffic Engineer and Krekorian as he tests the lights.

Also see: http://studiocity.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/2-children-seriously-injured-on-moorpark


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