Cars double park on both sides on the streets that radiate from Allenford, not allowing residents to leave the area when Revere middle school lets out.
The traffic at drop-off and pic- up times at Paul Revere Middle School needs to be fixed. There is only one road, Allenford, that goes by the school entrance. That street accommodates cars and buses that drop off and pick up the 1,700 students who attend sixth through eighth grade.
Sunset Boulevard runs along the north perimeter of the school, but there is no place to park or pick up students on that major four-lane thoroughfare. There are residences to the east and south with no roadway access to the school.
About 400 students come to the school on LAUSD buses, an additional 450 kids ride buses paid for by parents and there are 250 students on public buses (Metro and Big Blue Bus). That means about 600 students arrive or leave by car.
Those private vehicles descend on the three streets that radiate off Allenford. Residents living there are trapped in their homes twice a day. The only way in and out of those streets, Longworth, Brinkley and Pontoon, is Allenford. The Riviera Golf Course prevents exiting to the west.
Even though the school has no jurisdiction over the L.A. City streets, Revere school officials have asked parents to be considerate of neighbors and not block driveways.
This editor accompanied Pacific Palisades Community Council Area 8 representative Andrew Wolfberg to watch dismissal. That day a traffic officer was on site, and moved at least 50 different cars, which were illegally parking on Allenford.
Wolfberg said that if they could have an officer more frequently, it would stop some of the illegal parking.
The “west gate” of the campus, used to allow parents to line up on the inner driveway parallel to school, which took some traffic off the street. But following the nationwide school shootings, that practice had been stopped and the gates are locked, only allowing school buses.
Wolfberg said he had reached out to LAUSD Board Member Nick Melvoin’s office to inquire whether the District would consider opening the gate at the west driveway earlier to allow parents/guardians to pick up students, thereby reducing neighborhood traffic.
He also asked if someone from LAUSD’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety (OEHS) visit Paul Revere to observe the afternoon dismissal and report back with recommendations for improving safety and curbing inappropriate behavior by parents/guardians.
CTN reached out to Allison Polhill last week to see if LAUSD had looked at the situation. Neither Polhill nor OEHS has responded.
CTN asked if the neighbors had any suggestions to help ease the gridlock that occurs there at least twice a day. (Note: After observing the traffic, this editor, who had parked near the golf course, and then joined the traffic, taking a full half an hour to go less than a mile. Environmentally, the exhaust cannot be good.)
Below are suggestions from the most realistic to the least realistic.
1. Increased parking enforcement.
2. Traffic control officers at Allenford and Sunset.
3. Traffic control officers at 26th and San Vicente.
4. Opening the west driveway to accommodate vehicle queuing.
5. Implementing LAUSD shuttles to the E-Line light rail stop at 26th and Olympic and major bus lines (Wilshire/Santa Monica/Venice).
6. Increasing the number of LAUSD school buses for students.
7. Implementing LAUSD shuttles for off-site pick-up after school.
8. Staggering dismissal times for students.
9. Taking and publishing photos and videos of parents/guardians who create dangerous conditions or disrespect the neighbors.
10. Opening access to Paul Revere via Sunset between Allenford and Mandeville.
11. Securing financial contributions from private businesses and local groups to offer reduced price options for the private yellow buses. (School buses from Palisades and other areas are available, but residents are required to pay a hefty fee for riding to a public school.)
12. Paving the path next to the County Flood Control channel to create an additional lane for queuing.
13. Constructing a multi-level parking lot on the west side of campus.
When neighbors moved to the “polo field” region of Pacific Palisades, they were aware of the traffic generated, but they are asking LAUSD and the City need to take stronger action to address these traffic issues and the associated misconduct because they create dangerous conditions for both students and residents.
The traffic congestion extends beyond the immediate vicinity, impacting a large part of the Palisades and Brentwood community. It can delay emergency vehicles responding to crises and transporting patients to hospitals, putting lives at risk.
The traffic issue is raised every year, but it is conveniently ignored by the City and LAUSD, both saying “there’s nothing we can do.”
Cars line up on either side of Allenford at pick up time, ignoring signs.
School generated traffic is a community issue throughout the Palisades. It seems that all the schools, public and private, disgorge their students between 2 and 4 resulting in gridlock. Perhaps the community council needs to address the larger picture.
It comes down to manners. People totally forget their manners and it’s not only rude to the community but it’s dangerous for the kids. You should see the way parents drive ON campus…with kids walking in the driveway! We have parents speeding through the school like they are owed a quick getaway! I pay for our kids to use the parent supported bus – it’s expensive but worth every penny. I know when NOT to use Allenford during the day. But like many schools, its only timing concentrated around 7:50am-8:05am and then again 2:00-3:30pm (depending on the day for dismissal). More parking enforcement and police to monitor rude people are the answer. Cash cow of tickets over there!
It comes down to manners. People totally forget their manners and it’s not only rude to the community but it’s dangerous for the kids. You should see the way parents drive ON campus…with kids walking in the driveway! We have parents speeding through the school like they are owed a quick getaway! I pay for our kids to use the parent supported bus – it’s expensive but worth every penny. I know when NOT to use Allenford during the day. But like many schools, its only timing concentrated around 7:50am-8:05am and then again 2:00-3:30pm (depending on the day for dismissal). More parking enforcement and police to monitor rude people are the answer. Cash cow of tickets over there!