Wendy Greuel, LA City Councilwoman and candidate for City Controller in the March 2009 elections spoke at the February meeting about transportation in Los Angeles.

As Councilwoman, she was Chair of the Transportation Committee and has focused on a identifying and implementing short and long terms solutions. Short term solutions include synchronizing street lights, implementing anti-gridlock zones, and banning construction during peak hours.

Synchronizing lights has proven to be very effective. She personally tested it on Victory Blvd between Tujunga and Hazeltine. With the system working, she stopped at 3 lights. Then, for the test, the system was turned off. She stopped at 11 lights and it took 4 minutes longer, which if you multiply that by 2 times a day, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year adds up. She was pleased to report that lights on Rinaldi have been synchronized.

In anti-gridlock zones, fines have been doubled and cars could be towed.

Long term solutions include extending the Orange Line, and addressing the 405 parking lot. She said that all solutions need to be considered, although it turns out that the 405 is a challenge because of the grade or incline of the road and the fact that there is no one single destination on the other side of the hill.

She closed by encouraging everyone to take public transportation or alternatives periodically. There was only a 4% change in traffic patterns during the 1984 Olympics, but the results were noticeable.