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Traffic commission approves red-curb restriction at two Ludell Street addresses to protect storm drain access
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Summary
The Bell Gardens Traffic and Safety Commission approved staff’s recommendation to install red-curb parking restrictions in front of 5959 and 5954 Ludell Street to ensure maintenance access to a storm-drain inlet and reduce flooding risk, directing crews to confirm field measurements before final painting.
The Bell Gardens Traffic and Safety Commission voted to approve staff’s recommendation to install red-curb parking restrictions in front of 5959 and 5954 Ludell Street to preserve access to storm-drain inlets and reduce the risk of localized flooding.
The measure, presented by consultant traffic engineer Dennis Barnes and staff, follows a resident complaint about street flooding after heavy rain. Barnes said field inspection and a report (exhibit 1) show catch-basin locations at the curb face; the city engineer proposed 9 feet of red curb on the north side (near 5959) and 10 feet on the south side (near 5954). “The red curb prevents any vehicle from parking there and allows the maintenance crews to go in there and take action to remove any of the debris or other materials that could be blocking the flow,” Barnes said during his presentation.
Commissioners questioned the tradeoff between losing on‑street parking and ensuring maintenance access. A staff member told commissioners the north-side inlet at 5959 is the priority because its grate sits in the street and is prone to being blocked by parked vehicles and debris, while the south side’s access is on the parkway and may be less critical. “The critical need here would be the red curb next to 5959,” the staff member said, noting that if the commission wanted to preserve more parking the south‑side red curb could be reconsidered.
After discussion, the commission approved a motion to accept staff’s recommendation but instructed public works to verify field measurements at the basin and adjust the painted length to the minimum needed for maintenance access (the length could be less than the initially proposed 9–10 feet). A second commissioner supported the motion, and it passed on a roll-call vote of the commissioners present.
Next steps: public works will remeasure the basin access in the field, finalize the curb length, and staff will proceed with the red-curb installation as adjusted; the installation will be brought forward for city‑council consideration as required by the city’s process.
