Open letter to Nawal El-Eshki, city of San Diego Traffic Department:
We wish to thank you for taking measures to manage the flow of traffic at the intersection of Chatsworth Boulevard and Del Mar Avenue. We live at that intersection.
Each day that kids are in school, I see the children running to cross those streets to avoid the speeding vehicles that do not see them because the children are not thinking ahead.
There is only one crosswalk painted on this intersection to get from one side of Chatsworth to the other. No crosswalks are painted to cross from one side of Del Mar to the other. Drivers don’t see crosswalks, so they are less likely to observe them.
I have seen the increase in accidents and the extent of injuries at the intersection.
It concerns me that cars zoom up and down Chatsworth with little regard for the schoolchildren or locals who like to walk or those on bicycles, and the elderly out with their assistants for a little fresh air.
I really don’t understand why people that like to speed and zoom through this neighborhood are being given so much attention. They don’t care about us or the community, as evidenced by their actions. We just interfere with their need to do what they want, even if it means a few traffic violations and personal injuries and property injuries.
When you have 60-mile-per-hour traffic speeding on Chatsworth and people trying to merge from a standstill into the fast traffic, the potential for accidents is clear and evident. For some real fun you can watch people zoom up Chatsworth in the mornings and cut left into oncoming traffic lane coming up Del Mar Avenue to merge onto Chatsworth. It happens many times each day, no matter what day of the year.
The same things go for lower Del Mar Avenue where it meets Canon Street. In addition to upper Del Mar at Chatsworth, the lower Del Mar intersection has a public bus stop. There is blatant violation of speed limits and stop signs when it comes to Del Mar Avenue. Speeding, difficulty merging and people that just don’t exercise caution create an unsafe situation to all.
Well, if those who do not want it managed get what they want, it may not be so good for anyone in the long run. If people want to bury their head in the sand and let the unruly be the rulers, go ahead. But please don’t say we did not inform you of the safety issues and violations already rampant along this speedway.
Now there remains one more thing to keep in mind. What if it is a day where the roads are wet? People in the habit of high speeds and rolling stop signs will find they have more difficulty stopping when they want to. How will they feel when they hurt someone on the street or even someone inside their poorly controlled vehicle? Who will they loudly voice their opinion to then? It won’t undo injury that has already incurred. I am a firm believer in safety first. Planning is everything when it comes to preventing accidents.
I will abide the law as it is decided. I hope it takes these elements into account now and in the future for Del Mar intersections at the top of the hill at Chatsworth Boulevard and at the bottom of the hill where it meets Canon Street.