Los Angeles County authorities are preparing to let “the Snake” out of its cage — with some additional safety preventative measures in location.
The 2.4-mile stretch of Mulholland Highway, called for its similarity to the coiling reptiles, winds through the Santa Monica Mountains approximately in between Kanan Road and Sierra Creek Road.
Its curves and barrette turns were long preferred by motorcyclists and street racers, however the stretch of roadway was considered a high-collision passage by the county following several deadly crashes. It has actually been closed to drivers because 2019.
With the highway on track to resume next year, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors authorized a movement Tuesday to perform a 180-day safety research study as part of its Vision Zero traffic enhancement strategy.
“Mulholland Highway is a historical beautiful highway precious by the regional neighborhood and visitors alike,” Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, whose district includes the highway, said in a declaration. “While stunning, it can likewise threaten — even deadly — when individuals select to race or phase image opportunities. In Los Angeles County, we have a Vision Zero objective to get rid of highway deaths, and Mulholland Highway is primed for this work.”
Mark Pestrella, the county’s director of public works, said throughout Tuesday’s conference that “the Snake” ranked as the 79th worst out of 200 L.A. County high-collision passages from 2013 to 2017, according to Vision Zero information.
“The issue is speed in this, in a street that is not developed to address the speeds that individuals do travel it regularly,” he said. “It’s frightening how quick individuals will take a trip on this, on bikes in addition to automobiles, and we have actually seen some dreadful mishaps due to that.”
Among the safety improvements made to “the Snake” previously this year are center lane rumble strips, center lane pavement markers, speed decrease pavement markings, curve advisories and signs, and 6-inch edge line striping, that makes it unpleasant to go much faster, according to Pestrella.
For the very first 6 months after “the Snake” resumes, public works staff will examine whether such procedures successfully improve highway safety. Should the procedures show to decrease traffic accidents, county authorities might then execute them in other high-collision passages.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the California Highway Patrol will help by offering enforcement.
Read more: The Snake | Cruising Mullholland Highway
“The Snake” was harmed in the 2018 Woolsey fire, throughout which high-temperature flames fried pavement, melted guardrails and destroyed a bridge. Heavy rains in early 2019 more spoiled the highway, leading authorities to close it in between Lower Brewster Road and Seminole Drive.
The street resumed for pedestrians and bicyclists in April 2020, however has actually stayed closed to vehicle drivers.
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This story initially appeared in Los Angeles Times.
