Signs of the Times in Long Beach

Long Beach drivers beware: More than 100 stop signs are being installed throughout the city in a drastic effort to reduce traffic accidents, officials said.

The city hired a traffic consultant during the summer to determine which intersections needed the traffic controls the most, based on accident statistics and traffic flow problems, said Lt. Jim McCormack of the Long Beach Police Department's Traffic Division. He said the consultant recommended putting up 106 stop signs and for the past three weeks, engineers have been working from the east end to the west end to install the traffic control devices.

The work should be completed by the end of January, weather permitting, he said, adding that about half of the work has been completed.

"The stop signs are being put up in a lot of different, new locations," McCormack said. "We have gotten a lot of civilian complaints about where the stop signs should go, but we did not want to put them up until we did a study."

McCormack said a stop sign will be installed at nearly every intersection, north to south, along the boulevards.

"We are putting them all over town because there have been an awful lot of accidents for a small town," he said.

According to police statistics, there were 979 accidents reported in the city in 2009, and the numbers have kept pace this year with 913 thus far in 2010, McCormack said. Last year, there were 28 motor vehicle accidents that involved pedestrians or bicyclists, and three fatalities. But no accident gained more notoriety than the death of 76-year-old bicyclist Joseph Shannon, who was struck and killed by a school bus on Monroe Boulevard and East Olive Street on July 28, 2008.

McCormack said the city will have to wait until next year to determine if the stop signs decrease the number of accidents.

"All intersections will be pretty much standard," he said. "It will be a lot more understandable and consistent throughout the town, north to south."

Moving forward, he said, police will increase enforcement of the stop signs, and will issue warnings when necessary, until drivers get used to the signs in the new locations.

"Hopefully, people will pay attention and not run the stop signs and take their time," McCormack said.

City Manager Charles Theofan said the city has had to be very selective about where the stop signs are being installed. "You can't put up a stop sign at every corner because it could have the undesired effect of only slowing down drivers and not stopping them because it becomes an annoyance.

"That's why we hired a traffic engineer to survey a good portion of the city and to give us guidance. It certainly gave us a heightened awareness of where to put them."

Police said they have received mostly positive feedback about the installation of the new signs.

Brian Keane, an East Olive Street resident, said he is happy with the additional stop signs, but added that police must ratchet up their enforcement. In addition, he said, the amount of each fine for running a stop sign should be upped.

"We definitely need them because of the traffic problems in Long Beach," said Keane. "It's crazy and it's due to people running stop signs. I've seen people get killed on my block. Enforcement is definitely the key."

Fran Adelson, who lives in the Canals neighborhood, said she is also in favor of the additional stop signs, but added that some have been placed in unusual spots, including four new signs that have been installed at the end of a bridge going downhill. She said other signs have been put up and taken down such as on Neptune Boulevard.

"What are they doing?" she said. "They are not doing it with any rhyme or reason. Is there a plan?"

Theofan said he is not totally satisfied with where all the signs are being placed and they are under review.

"There are one or two areas where I feel they are not appropriate and they could be a mistake," he said.

Richard Boodman, who has been pushing the city to increase traffic safety since 2004, has put up signs around his property on Monroe Boulevard and East Olive Street – where Shannon was struck and killed – warning drivers of the hazards and blaming the city's Republican administrations for the traffic problems.

"It wouldn't have happened if I didn't do what I did," said Boodman of the additional stop signs around town. "The city has been stubborn and putting people at risk."

Theofan said he gives no credit at all to Boodman for the installation of the stop signs.

"For him to put up his idiotic signs and blame the Republican-led coalition is so disingenuous that it's pathetic," Theofan said.

"I don't want any credit," Boodman said. "I want Mr. Theofan to do his job. The purpose of government is to protect the people. It's not about me and it's not about him. It's about life and death."