Long Beach council orders quicker traffic‑safety fixes after residents cite rising fatalities

Mayor Rex Richardson and the City Council voted to fast‑track neighborhood traffic safety improvements after a lengthy public comment period in which residents described speeding, recent traffic deaths and long waits for traffic‑calming studies.

Councilmember Cindy Allen (motion maker) told the council that residents across the city "feel unsafe, and they feel unheard," and she asked staff to explore "supplemental contracting options, technology options, and other staffing solutions" so the city can deliver quick‑build safety improvements more quickly. Allen also asked for a report back within 90 days.

The move followed more than an hour of public testimonials from families, neighborhood groups and safety advocates who urged immediate action. Mindy Meadows, a resident who cited a recent fatal crash, said: "The traffic safety situation in this city is dire. This year alone, we've had 10" (on a single recent count); other speakers referenced 53 traffic fatalities recorded in 2025 and asked for speed bumps, rapid‑flashing beacons and better enforcement.

Councilmembers across the dais acknowledged a backlog of requests and staffing constraints in traffic engineering. Councilmember Kerr noted that some districts had submitted dozens of study requests in 2023 and had only received a handful of recommendations, and urged solutions to clear the backlog. Several members pressed staff to make the neighborhood traffic request portal more transparent and to provide quarterly updates so constituents can track progress.

City staff and the city manager emphasized that traffic engineering relies on licensed engineering standards and data‑driven prioritization, but said the department has deployed new tools—most notably automated speed cameras—that can both slow drivers and generate revenue that is legally limited to neighborhood traffic calming uses. Director Hickman told the council staff can provide updated portal data and quarterly reporting on quick‑build improvements.

The council accepted friendly amendments (including a quarterly reporting element and a request to detail how portal data will be surfaced), and then voted to approve the motion. The clerk announced: "Motion is carried." The vote advances a staff process to identify contracting options, technology tools and potential budget lines to accelerate small‑scale safety work in neighborhoods.

Next steps: staff will prepare the requested report and recommendations within the council's 90‑day window, with a proposed framework for quarterly reporting and an implementation plan for any supplemental contracting or staffing needed to clear the current backlog.