Tempers Flare Thanks to Street Closures

Between the intense August heat and the last minute road closures, it is no wonder that tempers were flaring in West Los Angeles this week.  While little can be done about the hot temperatures, one has to wonder if more could have been done to prevent the gridlock that defined the West L.A. streets earlier this week.

Residents were surprised when major portions of Wilshire Blvd. were suddenly shut down on both Monday and Tuesday to accommodate President Barack Obama's trips to and from LAX.

Obviously, President Obama's security is, and should be, the utmost priority during his visits to Southern California.  By the same token, however, shouldn't the lives of those affected by President Obama's visit also be a priority?

Among a host of other issues, residents of the Wilshire Corridor were unable to exit their driveways, parents faced difficulty picking up their children from school, and diverted traffic led to clogged side streets and frustrated drivers. 

Why is it impossible for the city to let residents know of impending street closures so they can plan accordingly?  If the city has the funds to implement something as useless as 511, surely they can find a few spare dollars to put up signs notifying drivers of street closures?

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