There were two separate vehicle accidents on Fountain Avenue this evening, with one resulting in a person injured.
Just before 6:30 p.m. the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station and the L.A. County Fire Department were notified of a ollision occurring on Fountain at Hayworth Avenue. Both vehicles appeared to have minor damage and one person was transported to a local area hospital by first responders.
Less than an hour earlier, at approximately 5:30 p.m., a separate collision occurred at Fountain and Havenhurst. A vehicle traveling northbound on Havenhurst attempted to cross Fountain, ignoring a “right turn only” sign and was struck by a vehicle traveling westbound on Fountain. The accident at Havenhurst did not result in any injuries.
Today’s were the latest in a series of crashes on Fountain that have led the City of West Hollywood to create a short-term plan to reduce traffic and pedestrian accidents there that was presented by city officials on Jan. 22 at a community meeting at Plummer Park.
It called for implementing a variety of measures focused primarily on the intersections of Fountain with Harper Avenue, Havenhurst Drive, Hayworth Avenue and La Brea Avenue. Those intersections were chosen based on the number of collisions there and the city’s ability to implement fixes relatively quickly.
Hany Demitri, West Hollywood’s acting city engineer, told those at that meeting that he expected the work could be completed this summer if the proposals are approved by the City Council when it reviews them next month.
At that meeting, Walter Davis, West Hollywood’s neighborhood traffic management program specialist, said the city also will institute intermediate and longer term measures. They will include efforts to improve the walkability of sidewalks along Fountain, changing some stop lights to give pedestrians priority in crossing the street before cars can move forward, adding more crosswalks with lights signaling that pedestrians are crossing and installing medians or curb bulb-outs that will slow traffic.
How about some enforcement of the speed limit? I live on Havenhurst and see these accidents and close calls all the time. Traffic routinely FLIES down Fountain exceeding the posted speed limit of 35mph. Many times I see people doing 50 down the stretch from Crescent Heights to LaCienega. It’s outright dangerous. Post a cop there. Enforce the speed limit. Give them something to do. Issues tickets. Bring in more $$$ for Weho city government. And maybe save a life or two in the process.
And still no northbound or southbound left hand signal at Crescent Heights and Fountain. I guess the West HollyWHITE City Council is more concerned with its failed fiasco bicycle program and other tree hugging efforts!
Those of us on the North / South streets between Sunset and Santa Monica deal with the speeding over flow of the traffic off fountain and are AFRAID to cross our own streets with our dogs, kids or friends. These maniacs FLOOR it to cut down these streets! I live on Harper (south of Fountain) and have complained to City Hall – obviously NOT ENOUGH- because every morning and evening it’s a game of life and death frogger. I’ve been passed on the left, while turning left into my garage, I’ve been screamed at because someone slammed on the breaks… Read more »
It’s the phones. Last week I watched a woman swerve between 2 lanes for several minutes. I thought she was drunk. She was just staring at her phone with no regard to how many people she could have killed. La Brea 3 p.m.
As far as Fountain goes, I think the lighted, flashing, live speed limit signs on every 3 rd block on both sides of the streets are necessary. They do help. Some of have been set up but more are necessary. Maybe even one that says “Get off your phone!.”
The signs would be much more effective if they were accurate. The one at Sweetzer westbound measures 38 mph at a standstill, then erratically jumps around. Others work intermittently but are not correct. How difficult could this be for the traffic posse to adjust, or will they need to have another consultant? As well as the city of high on billboards, lets have a cavalcade of signs on fountain: No Phones No Texting No Phones No Speeding No Phones No Weaving No Phones No Left Turns TALKING ON THE PHONE IS A CHARGEABLE OFFENSE! IT COULD GENERATE REVENUE!!! With all… Read more »
I live on Fountain. Those “right turn only” signs are a JOKE — they’re tiny and I watch drivers completely ignore them every single day at Curson & Fountain. If they expect signage to fix this problem, then all the signage needs a major visibility/intensity upgrade.
I totally agree. People ignore, or don’t see, that sign.
Please let us know what other traffic accidents occurred in West Hollywood over the past few days. This notification of every fender bender on Fountain further reveals an agenda from Wehoville.
Hey Steve: How about an agenda that might save your life? It’s called public awareness because the city seems to think that “traffic is just passing through”. So hopefully the local folks will read Wehoville and that could make a dent.
Public awareness applies to Santa Monica Blvd, Melrose Ave. and Sunset Blvd. as well
Yeah, what other crashes happened. Why only report crashes on Fountain?
Most traffic issues on problematic Fountain Ave have been entirely avoidable since the advent of smart phones.
FOLKS ARE DISTRACTED AND ADDICTED TO THEIR PHONES.
Where were Demitri and Davis in this 1.9 square mile city?
Isn’t anticipation a major part of responsibility in anyone’s position.
How could they not see this coming? How could the CC be so late to respond to traffic issues on Fountain and SM Blvd?
John Duran flippantly says “drivers are just passing through”.
This small city should be nimble enough to get ahead of so many quality of life issues.
Not to be disrespectful to the dead but in some small way Bette Davis, a Havenhurst resident for many years, it to blame for all this.