Yucaipa council, public safety officials defend response after multi-day power shutoffs; temporary stop‑sign policy questioned

Yucaipa city leaders and public safety officials on Jan. 13 described their response to multi‑day, regionwide power shutoffs ordered by Southern California Edison and defended the city’s decision not to deploy temporary stop signs at intersections where traffic lights went dark.

City Manager (unnamed) and Captain Walker of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department told the City Council the shutoffs were initiated by Edison because of high winds and low humidity that increased fire danger. Officials said the utility’s communication and outage maps during the event were unreliable and that the city worked to maintain public safety while awaiting information from Edison.

Why it matters: the outages left many intersections without functioning traffic signals for more than 48 hours, creating a heightened crash risk and prompting dozens of public calls. Residents reported near‑misses and asked the council to use portable stop signs or other temporary traffic control devices. The council and staff said they considered those options but decided against widespread deployment because of safety, legal and logistical issues.

The city’s public safety manager, Trevor Benson, and Captain Walker said temporary stop signs were not used because the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) cautions against temporary signs where officials cannot guarantee a traffic signal will default to flashing red when power is restored. Staff also worried that high winds could dislodge temporary signs and create additional hazards. City Attorney Graham cited the state case Chowdhury v. City of Los Angeles, explaining that courts have concluded intersections with inoperative signals are governed by statutory rules that drivers must treat as four‑way stops.

City officials described their actions during the outage: extra patrols to enforce stop requirements, public‑works crews clearing fallen limbs and debris, and coordination with fire responders. Captain Walker said deputies issued 35 citations during the 2½‑day outage aimed at drivers who failed to treat dark intersections as four‑way stops. The sheriff’s office reported five traffic collisions during the same period; three were noninjury and two involved only minor injuries.

Council members and staff also discussed preparedness measures to reduce risk in future outages. The city manager said staff applied for a California Highway Patrol grant to obtain reflective tape for traffic signal housings to improve visibility when lights are off, and staff will evaluate opening city facilities with power (for example the senior center) as short‑term charging centers and information points in future events. Public Works Deputy Director Scott Washburn noted his crews worked round‑the‑clock to remove obstructions and maintain access on roadways.

Ending: Councilmembers said they want a post‑event review to document lessons learned and consider whether policy or operational changes (for example a formal plan for temporary traffic control in limited circumstances) are needed. Officials reiterated that the shutoffs were made by the utility and that city actions focused on enforcement, clearance of hazards and protecting residents during a fast‑moving emergency.