Traffic Safety Committee

We Did It! 

But we aren't done

• Santa Monica Blvd. Safety Study plan adopted May 12, 2026 with instruction to install quick-build materials (plastic bollards and possibly rubber to dissuade drivers from turning left from southbound Chelsea to eastbound Santa Monica) by the start of the school year. Dozens of late night McKinley emails helped.
  
  • Watch parent Juan Matute's public comment
  • Link to motion

What's Next?

• Next: Implementation of Phase 1 ideas, which also includes doing the complete  design for the Chelsea intersection. This includes extensive civil engineering work. The Council will vote to set aside funds for this by the end of June 2026.
  
  
• Santa Monica Blvd. will be completely repaved in time for the Olympics in 2028. They can do the new striping and signage at the same time. 
  
  
• Redoing the traffic signals will happen by the end of June 2027. The City needs to formally budget funds to pay for doing the design work.
  
  
• McKinley PTA wrote this letter to support a state grant application to fund construction. We will track the progress and outcome of awarding funds (November 2026 and June 2027)
  
• Mike Sullivan of LAcarGuy saw that the proposed design includes a landscaped median that extends past the driveway into his Kia dealership, eliminating left turns into his business. He hired a separate traffic engineer to develop an alternate design which removes the landscaped median.
  • The purpose of the landscaped median is to slow down cars and turn that crossing into a space for families with children. It follows NACTO's guidance on Designing Streets for Kids, which include: plan for 95cm, improved pedestrian crossings, slow cars, and add trees and landscaping.
    
    
  • It was also recommended to reduce "conflicts" while crossing the driveway.
    
    
  • Council, in its motion to approve the study and order the quick-build items for our intersection, also directed staff to work with stakeholders (aka McKinley Elementary School and LAcarGuy) to finalize a design that does not compromise the safety and wellbeing of our children.
    

Background

Did you know that the intersection of Santa Monica Blvd and Chelsea Ave is part of the city’s "High Injury Network"? Yet, this is the designated daily drop-off point for our youngest students (TK & Kindergarten). The City of Santa Monica has developed a plan to fix this, but they need community support to fund it.

 Committee Meetings

May 8, 2026

The Traffic Safety Committee met with City staff on Friday, May 8, 2026 to discuss their revised draft study. The thinking now is, Chelsea could begin construction as soon as Fall 2028 - if we can locate city funds to kickstart design while it pursues external grants to pay for construction (goal: Fall 2028). Which is still 2+ years away.

Here is an idea: Implement the strategy to restrict right turns sooner by using "Quick Build Materials" - plastic bollards and a "hardened center line". City staff could design and implement this themselves, and get it done by the start of the next school year if instructed by Council. Eventually, this will go away and be replaced by actual concrete and landscaping.

Example of a "quick build" to limit people to only make right turns in Westwood.

February 9, 2026

Schoolwide traffic study listening session

• Viewed Meeting Summary (PDF)
• Draft Letter to Send Council

Documents

• Problem
• Solution
• Why We Need You
• Source Documents
• Draft Study (223 pages)
• Staff Report

🛑 THE PROBLEM

Currently, Chelsea Ave has no traffic signal, forcing families to cross high-speed traffic without protection.

• According to the city’s safety study 83% of crashes on this corridor happen at intersections.
• Injuries are significantly more severe at unsignalized crossings like Chelsea.

✅ THE SOLUTION

The City has proposed specific engineering safety enhancements for this intersection.

The proposed improvements include

1. Pedestrian Traffic Signal: A dedicated light to stop traffic, allowing students to cross safely.
2. Pedestrian Refuge Islands: A safe median spot in the middle of the street to shorten the crossing distance.
3. New Crosswalks: High-visibility striping.
4. Right-Turn Only Lane: Reducing collisions by minimizing conflicts between turning and through traffic.
5. Directional Curb Ramps: ADA-compliant ramps guiding walkers directly into the crosswalk.
6. Bike Lane Modifications: Creating a clearer path for cyclists.

Committee Members

Jordana Haspel, Juan Matute, the LaRose Family