City Council Raises Mason Avenue Speed Limit to 40

The City Council Tuesday raised the speed limit on Mason Avenue from 35 mph to 40 mph.

The increase passed 12-0, with both Councilmen Mitch Englander and Dennis Zine voting in favor. Mason Avenue runs through both their districts.

A request to increase the speed limit was first made in 2008 by the LAPD so that radar could be used for speed enforcement. The speed limit will now be uniform between Trentino Lane and Victory Boulevard.

As early as July 2006, the Chatsworth Neighborhood Council expressed concern that traffic speeds were rising too rapidly on Mason Avenue. The council voted $2,500 to match funds from former Councilman Greig Smith for the installation of a permanent electronic speed monitoring sign on southbound Mason Avenue between the 118 freeway and Chatsworth Street.

Glenn Bailey, vice chair of the city's Bicycle Advisory Committee, expressed concern that a higher speed, especially on Mason, will result in more dangerous conditions for pedestrians, bicyclists, and  motorists.  Statistically, he said, a pedestrian or bicyclist struck by a vehicle traveling 45 mph is 80 percent likely to be killed or sustain serious injury.  A 40 mph speed limit will result in the actual speed being closer to 45, he said, urging that the speed limit be kept at 35 for streets like Mason.

The 6.8 miles of Mason Avenue, with two lanes in each direction, is a DOT secondary highway with a 35 mph limit posted between Tulsa Street and Victory Boulevard. But there was no posted speed limit between Trentino Lane and Tulsa Street. [See adjacent map.]

A 2008 DOT traffic study found that on the 3.8  miles between Trentino Lane and Nordhoff Street traffic moved between 39 and 44 mph with an average speed of 42 mph. And on the 3-mile stretch between Nordhoff Street and Victory Boulevard, traffic moved between 40 and 47 mph with an average speed of 44 mph.

Between 72 and 79 percent of motorists were found to be exceeding the 35 mph on the two stretches of Mason Avenue.

"Therefore, for the reasons described above, the Department recommends that the speed limit on Mason Avenue between Trentino Lane and Tulsa Street be established at 40 mph and between Tulsa Street and Victory Boulevard be increased from the existing 35 mph to 40 mph," urged John Fisher, principal traffic engineer.

However, Bailey pointed out that the DOT report is dated Jan. 3, 2008, more than four years ago, which means that the required traffic survey would be at least that old.  Since surveys are only valid for seven years, it may have to be redone in less than three years, he said, possibly resulting in another speed limit increase.