The temporary closure of Civic Center Way continues to be a vein of contention in Malibu. Two more variables were added to the action this week-school children and their parents.
By Lindsey Kuhn/Special to The Malibu Times
The city closed Civic Center Way to protect school children attending the two elementary schools in that area, Webster Elementary and Our Lady Malibu (OLM). Even before these schools opened for the academic year, arguments flared up against the closing. OLM opened Sept. 2 and Webster Elementary opened Sept. 3.
In a six-month test, temporary roadblocks have been put up on Civic Center Way in hopes this would alleviate the flow of traffic near the two elementary schools.
In response to complaints by citizens, the City Council met in a special meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 3, to discuss the closure.
Brandy Sanchez, the public works clerk, has kept a log of responses to the street closure that have come into the office via the telephone hotline and e-mail address that were set up for this reason.
“The city’s well aware of the citizens’ positions,” Sanchez said.
Those in opposition to the road closure blame it for traffic congestion on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and Malibu Canyon Road. Some restaurants and stores also hold it responsible for slower business.
Kim Hughes, a resident of Malibu, is against the street closure.
“Yesterday, PCH was a mess. I got stuck for 15 minutes,” Hughes said.
Hughes commutes to work in Sherman Oaks and said the traffic on PCH has been so bad that she’s been less apt go to the stores in that area.
“Those shops are becoming a hassle,” Hughes said.
Georgianna McBurney, also a resident of Malibu who lives in the Vista Pacifica Townhouses off Civic Center Way, is happy about the road closure. Civic Center Way has been used as a short cut between PCH and Malibu Canyon. McBurney said the use of this road as a shortcut has turned this residential street into a speedway.
Richard Calvin, maintenance manager for the Department of Public Works, reported the city is in the middle of completing a traffic engineers’ report. The traffic was monitored before the road was blocked, but has yet to be compared to the traffic since the road has been closed. The degree to which the road
closure has affected traffic is inconclusive.
“Summer traffic is always higher here,” Calvin said
And with the summer ending and school beginning, this experiment will come to fruition.
Philip Cott, principal of Webster Elementary School, said, in an interview before The Malibu Times went to print, he was hopeful when the idea was proposed but can’t make any conclusions until school starts.
Similarly, Matthew Weber, principal of OLM, is waiting to make up his mind until school starts.
Neither principal reported any incidents of previous student injuries but both agreed that the traffic has been a concern.
“There haven’t been any injuries but it doesn’t mean I’m not worried about it. It’s never been an ideal situation. We kept asking for a traffic light,” Cott said.
Cott said the light was opposed because of its cost. But the road blockage has its price too.
“It hasn’t yet, but it could run around $25,000,” Calvin said.