1984 02 09 TSC Minutes
78-105 CALLE ESTADO LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA 92253 (619) 564.2246
LA QUINTA TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
MINUTES
February 9, 1984 4:00 PM La Quinta City Hall
Members Present: Chairman Bund (arrived at 4:35PM), Larry
Allen, Sandy Bonner, Martin Beck, John
Jameson, Al Cablay, Lt. Lewis, and Doug
Brown
Members Absent: Warren Stallard
The meeting was called to order by Martin Beck a.t
4:08 PM.
The new appointee to the committee, John Jameson,
was welcomed to the group. John replaces John Burns as
a citizen representative on the committee.
Two items of correspondence were circulated to t:he
members of the committee.
Item 1 was a letter from Marie Reading regarding a
traffic problem on Washington St. near the Shangra-La area.
Item 2 was an article from today's (2-9-84) Daily News
paper indicating that traffic accidents in La Quinta had
increased 132%.
Discussion was held first on Mrs. Reading's letter.
It was decided unanamously that both of Mrs. Reading's ideas
for installing traffic signals and/or stop signs at Washington
and Highland Palms (or Singing Palms) was not warranted.
Several alternative ideas were discussed. It was agreed upon
that the entire length of Washington from Highway 111 to
Eisenhower is in a state of flux due to new development in
that area. It was recommended that turn pockets for both
Highland Palms and Singing Palms be installed as improve-
ments are done to that area.
Discussion followed on the newspaper article. Mr. Brown
explained how the article came about and that the statistics
were gleaned from incomplete and inaccurate data. This info
was passed on to the reporter but it was omitted from the story
It was unanamously agreed to prepare a press release to set
the record straight and to hand-carry it to the Daily News.
(This was done on 2-10-84 @ 10:30 AM and the matter explained
to Managing Editor Keith Carter.) The Daily News indicated
that they will print a correction.
Upon the arrival of Chairman Bund at 4:35 PM, acting
Chairman Beck turned the meeting over to Mr. Bund.
continued
MAILING ADDRESS - P.O. BOX 1504 - LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA 92253
TRAFFIC SAFETY MEETING, cont. PAGE 2
2-9-84
Additional correspondence was discussed and it regarded
the letter from Mr. Rupert Yessayian dated 1-27-84. Mr.
Yessayian indicated in his letter that a "serious" traffic
hazard existed at the intersection of Avenida Navarro and
Avenida Monteztuna. The reply to Mr. Yessayian's letter by
Community Safety Coordinator Brown was also read to the
committee.
Extensive discussion followed in regards to traffic
circulation and problems around the La Quinta park area.
It was discussed that the City Council had mandated
a "solution" be presented to that body by their next meeting
on February 21,1984 by the Community Safety Coordinator.
Based on Mr. Brown's response to Mr. Yessayian's letter
regarding the same problem area - there is no real problem.
Mr. Brown then indicated that there were some ways to
modify traffic patterns around the park area that would
serve to eliminate the five-way intersections at Montezuma
and Navarro and Montezuma and Eisenhower. The recommendation
was made that Montezuma, on the south side of the park, be
cul-de-saced at both ends where it intersects with Navarro
and at Eisenhower. This would limit access to off of Mendoza.
Montezuma. north of the park, would be a through street then
from Eisenhower to Bermudas, as it currently exists. Much
more discussion resulted regarding this matter.
The group decided that an engineer should be consulted
prior to any action on this matter. This would take more
than two weeks to come up with a solution for the City
Council. It was decided that the Community Safety Coordi-
nator should recommend to the council that it is the opinion
of the Traffic Safety Committee, a body whose purpose it is
to study such matters, that an extension of time be granted
pending further study of this matter.
Mr. Beck recommended that the committee spend sut~stantial
time reviewing the recommendations made in the ITS traffic
study.
Discussion came up as to changing the meetings f:r~om twice
a month to a single meeting each month. It was moved, seconder
and carried that the meetings of this committee be changed
to just the second Thursday of each month. In turn, t:he
meetings will begin at 3:00 PM to allow sufficient t_Lme to
deal with issues.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:10 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Douglas Brown, Secretary