A second bicyclist has been injured at the same location where a bike rider was killed two weeks ago. According to the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD), the second crash occurred on Friday, Nov. 10 and while the bicyclist survived, a similar crash on Oct. 27 killed a woman.
In the most recent accident a car was traveling westbound on Idaho and the bicyclist southbound on 19th. The vehicle broadsided the rider, hitting his left side, and knocking him to the ground. SMPD initially described the injuries as minor but the bicyclist, Paul Postel, said he has four broken and two bruised ribs. The driver remained at the scene. No impairment is suspected at this time, but SMPD said the accident is under investigation and no information regarding fault is available at this time.
That intersection, like many in the neighborhood, is a two-way stop sign, not a four way stop. Traffic traveling east/west has a stop sign but traffic going north/south does not.
On Oct. 27, Tania Mooser was killed at that intersection when she was traveling west and was hit by a southbound car.
Council is expected to discuss the problem on Tuesday after Councilmembers Jesse Zwick, and Caroline Torosis, together with Mayor Gleam Davis asked for a discussion to strengthen the City’s Vision Zero commitment to eliminate all fatal and severe-injury crashes from Santa Monica’s roads in light of the recent tragic fatal crash
The Councilmembers are asking for:
• Immediately initiate engineering analysis of outstanding community requests to upgrade intersections to all-way stops, with the intersections on Idaho Avenue to be prioritized.
• Develop and publish locally tailored City of Santa Monica guidelines for upgrading non-signaled intersections to all-way stop controlled intersections that further our City’s adopted goal of zero fatal and severe-injury crashes.
• Upgrade the portal through which residents can report a dangerous intersection, allowing for staff to determine a variety of possible safety interventions, including all-way stops, traffic circles, and diverters. In all such analyses, the determination that furthers our City’s adopted goal of zero fatal and severe-injury crashes shall be recommended whenever possible.
• Establish criteria for the use of “Cross Traffic Does Not Stop” warning signs at two-way stop-controlled intersections that are not recommended for conversion, and develop an installation plan and timetable for such signage on intersections that meet the criteria.
• Establish a regular meeting series between the SMPD and Department of Transportation to review traffic safety enforcement priorities, including locations and violations of highest concern, and capacity for reallocation of enforcement resources to priority areas and violations.
• Refresh the City’s popular “Take the Friendly Road” roadway safety messaging campaign and initiate a new push of community messaging, including, but not limited to, bus ads, public service announcements, digital media efforts, and physical collateral.
• Develop and submit a proposal in the upcoming biennial CIP process that evaluates and proposes safety countermeasures including the creation of “daylighting” zones to address illegal parking that obstructs lines of sigght, with a focus on priority non-signaled intersections as identified in the 2022 Local Roadway Safety Plan.
• Identify shortfalls in resources, if any, required to implement these vital safety measures, and consider possible sources of funding needed beyond any CIP dollars requested per the above item, including, but not limited to, transportation impact fees, administrative fines for parking violations, the parking facilities tax, and any available grants.
matt@smdp.com