Looking to crack down on illegal street racing and the deaths that can result, the Los Angeles City Council Tuesday approved funding for a pilot program to install “rumble strips” on a street in the San Fernando Valley known as a racing hot spot.
The motion, which was approved on a 11-0 vote, was introduced last week by Councilman Mitchell Englander, who represents the area where the pilot will be implemented.
The strips will be installed on Plummer Avenue between Canoga Avenue and Topanga Canyon Boulevard, which is often called the Canoga Speedway” due to its popularity with street racers.
The area was the scene of a street racing crash which killed two spectators in February 2015. The driver, Karen Gary Balyn, was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
“Rumble strips” are similar to speed bumps, but are much more abrasive to vehicles engaged in street racing, according to Englander.
Families in Los Angeles neighborhoods deserve peace of mind in their own homes,” he said last week. While the roar of car engines might be exciting in the `Fast & Furious’ movies, it can be a serious disturbance and downright dangerous when illegal racing occurs in neighborhoods and on streets not designed for such activity.”
The $14,000 pilot project “will explore the efficacy of `rumble strips’ which have the potential to be a cost-effective tool to stop illegal street racing in its tracks,” he said.
