Letters to the Editor: L.A. County voters made a big mistake passing Measure A without a single citizen’s petition.
We’re glad that many people were convinced to sign Measure A in L.A. County because a citizen’s petition would not have delivered the measure to voters.
We had hoped that if Measure A was submitted to L.A. County, the county would do it on our behalf. We were hoping some citizens would be motivated to act to defeat Measure A by sending a petition with signatures from their community to convince the County Board to change the Measure.
Measure A proposes that LA County increase the speed limit from 35 mph to 40 mph on the west fork of the Long Beach (Ocean) Freeway. The Measure would not affect the on-ramp to LA County from the Long Beach (Pacific) Freeway. It would allow the westbound lanes of the Long Beach (Ocean) Freeway to be left open to vehicle traffic to increase the speed limit. The Measure would also close the westbound lanes of the Long Beach (Pacific) Freeway at the Long Beach (Central) Freeway with a barrier between the two lanes.
The Measure would prevent any person from driving through the on/off ramps from the Long Beach (Pacific) and Long Beach (Central) Freeways.
It would eliminate the possibility of exiting the freeway at the Point Defiance roundabout. The Measure would prohibit any person from leaving the freeway without using a barrier and would require that vehicles entering from the Pacific or Central Freeways and exiting to the Long Beach (Ocean) Freeway be slowed from 35 to 40 mph. The Measure prohibits exiting the on-ramp unless entering on the westbound lanes.
The Measure requires all vehicle traffic to be stopped and stopped in the outside lane or on the inside shoulder for one count of every 15 seconds.
The Measure allows for an additional count to be made of vehicles exiting the Long Beach (Pacific) and Long Beach (Ocean) Freeways when the speed limit is reduced to 30 mph and when approaching a school and at intersections.
