Last night residents of Windsor Village crowded into the Junior Choir room at the United Methodist Church for a community meeting on several topics, including how Metro plans to re-route traffic while it installs concrete decking along Wilshire Blvd. as part of Purple Line Subway Extension construction. The decking will serve as the temporary street surface, allowing Metro crews to work underground as they build the station.
In mid-June, Metro will begin a series of weekend closures of Wilshire Blvd. Â Work will start on Friday evenings and proceed around the clock until 5 a.m. on Monday mornings, when the street will re-open for traffic. The first three weekend closures will be from Detroit to La Brea, followed by three more weekends at the intersection of Wilshire and La Brea. Â The final 16 weekends will close Wilshire from La Brea to Highland. For the first two phases of construction, Metro has proposed to route east- and westbound traffic from Wilshire to 6th Street, between La Brea and Fairfax. The north- and south-bound traffic is likely to be routed around the area using Third Street and Olympic Blvds., and Fairfax and San Vicente. In the final and longest phase of the weekend closures, traffic will be re-routed to 6th Street, between Highland and La Brea. (Maps of the closures and detour routes are available on pages 20-25 of the presentation materials from Metro’s March 17 Community Construction Meeting.)
Council member David Ryu commended Windsor Village for getting this timely presentation noting that he had only heard the information two days earlier. However, he assured the audience, this is only a draft plan and there will be opportunities for neighbors to comment. He invited everyone to attend the next bi-monthly Community Construction Meeting, Â scheduled for Thursday, May 12, 7 p.m., at John Burroughs Middle School, where more information will be presented on the traffic plans.
“This is going to be a little painful,” said Ryu of the construction, “but once it’s done, it will be amazing!”
In other business last night, Ryu also announced that the Los Angeles City Council has passed measure calling for the expenditure of $31 million on sidewalk repairs, to be spent over the next 30 years. He asked residents to work with him to identify the worst sidewalks in the neighborhood, so he can have a priority list ready to help target the areas of greatest need when protocols and procedures for the repairs are completed by the City Attorney and Department of Public Works.
Ryu also encouraged everyone to get out to vote in the upcoming Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council election, which will be held on Saturday, May 1 (from 12-4 p.m. at the Barking Lot on Larchmont Blvd.). Ryu commended Windsor Village residents Julie Stromberg and Joe Hoffman, who are running for re-election to the GWNC’s Windsor Village and Renters seats, respectively, for their work and their willingness to run again.
Finally, LAPD Captain Patricia Sandoval and Senior Lead Officer Hebel Rodriguez advised residents to continue to be vigilant and take actions to prevent property crimes, the biggest problem in the neighborhood. Even thought violent crime is up in the city, said Senior Lead Officer Hebel Rodriguez, Windsor Village is a “safe neighborhood.” He promised more patrols around Harold Henry Park and asked residents to consider more lighting in the park to discourage illicit activity after dark.
Residents asked a number of questions about traffic on Lucerne Blvd., the most heavy used street in the neighborhood, as well as efforts to address trespassing by vagrants in a building at Lorraine and Wilshire. Rodriguez urged everyone to stay connected to LAPD online at lapdwilshire.com or via the new Wilshire Division app.
Windsor Village Association President Diane Dicksteen adjourned the meeting shortly after 9 p.m.
