Snow players invade Wrightwood

[SpeedRacer]

They just installed one on the way to Big Bear.
http://abc7.com/news/ie-pedestrian-bridge-to-make-crossing-hwy-38-safer/353717/

Personally I don't see how it would work here. Somehow you need to get up and over the highway but still touch down on both sides while not making it too steep. Major eyesore too.

[in my dreams]

Didn't they install a round about in Claremont a few years ago on Indian Hill and take it out because it sucked? Not enough space and did not effectively control traffic?

[cedar]

"Traffic signals are much more costly than is commonly realized....A modern signal can cost taxpayers between $80,000 and $100,000 to install.... the perpetual cost of the electrical power ..... about $1,400 per year."

Okay, they are not free, but I just was just in LA yesterday and took a complicated trip on surface streets.  I'm sure that that we went through more than 100 (un-timed, by the way) traffic lights.  The lights are everywhere!  We just need one!

I also think a pedestrian bridge would be great as an additional decorative, but useful, feature.  I would love to see a replica of the original bridge at Big Pines, with the two towers, as a second crossing closer to the main business. (Can someone post a photo of it?) What about using the hill below the antique store, and a ramp along Jensen's parking lot (which is currently just boring dirt).  Yes, I know that would cost money too, but so did the Eiffel tower and the Space Needle!!!!!  Just dreaming.....

[Arizona]

Didn't they install a round about in Claremont a few years ago on Indian Hill and take it out because it sucked? Not enough space and did not effectively control traffic?

Yes they did.  Only lasted a few short years.

[AvocadoFlyer]

Tossing in my 2 cents here.  I like the stop sign as it allows cars to move in and out of the Post Office AND out of the Hardware store and Jensen's easily and allows people to cross at the stop sign without playing Frogger with all the cars.  So when we have those glorious snow days and HWY 2 is filled with tourists having a Cop working that intersection who can easily marshal HWY 2 traffic through the stop sign and then withhold them for crossing traffic makes sense to me more so then a traffic signal. 

[Highlander]

Firefly65, I agree with your angle, but, the stop sign doesn't do squat for turning into Jensen's. A roundabout is a moot point. There is not enough room. Caltrans would have to encroach into the P.O. parking lot and a portion of Victor's , the "Outhouse" & the County yard to make it feasible. I can't even turn around on the 2 in my full-size GMC pickup in one shot without leaving the pavement. A pedbridge? Has anyone noticed the disabled parking slot at the p.o.? And how are the seniors supposed to traverse a pedbridge?

[tcaarabians]

Perhaps a tunnel? But, probably not. I did like Lagomorph's suggestion of a flashing pedestrian crossing sign.. utilizing solar that can be activated when someone wants to walk across the 2.   I have crossed the 2 at the stop sign with five grandchildren in tow.  We pause to make sure that traffic has stopped for us.  We do that at all intersections whether there is a traffic light, stop sign or not.  And, there is nothing that protects you from crazy drivers other than your own caution. I leave this to you guys in WW that live with it all year round. cheryl o7o

[SpeedRacer]

If I remember correctly there was an accident issue on the highway at the PO which necessitated either a stop sign or a turn pocket. ...so removing the stop sign would require a turn pocket the way I understand it. 

[Leftfield]

A tunnel could work but in order to prevent flooding the tunnel itself would have to be at ground level and Hwy 2 would have to go over it. 
Funny, I see the cost of a traffic light but when I consider how many traffic lights there are in the High Desert let alone all of Southern California, I would think putting one in would be a drop in a bucket.  I feel like the rest of California can have one but us.  

[Jim Wilkins]

If I remember correctly there was an accident issue on the highway at the PO which necessitated either a stop sign or a turn pocket. ...so removing the stop sign would require a turn pocket the way I understand it. 

There never was an accident issue with the PO location.  I'm trying to remember if I ever responded to one in all the years I worked up here (40) and nothing comes to mind.  The stop sign was a result of several people suggesting it during the process that preceded construction (when CalTrans pretended to interested in what the community wanted).  There really was no hue and cry for a stop sign.  The only time it ever was a factor was during busy snow weekends and those have been few and far between lately.

[cedar]

The stop sign was a result of several people suggesting it during the process that preceded construction (when CalTrans pretended to interested in what the community wanted). 

If I remember right, the original plan for Hwy 2 was a continuous center lane through town.  The concern was that it would be used for a passing lane (in both directions at the same time - most likely....) and that traffic would be moving faster.  That had the potential of making it even more challenging to cross the highway to the post office.  I believe the request from the town has always been an 'on demand' traffic light.  We were given the stop signs instead because the light was 'too expensive'.

[Jim Wilkins]

There was a portable traffic light that we put out at the fire station but were told to stand down by CalTrans after a season or two.  Not so funny....now you have to have your head on a swivel at the Hardware Store as the splayers race  through their parking lot to avoid the line at the stop sign going downhill. 

[Bob C]

So I'm coming home from work on Big Pines Highway tonight about 4:45pm, and find about 10-12 people standing/playing on what remains of the ice on Jackson lake, including several small children. The remaining ice only covers maybe 1/4 of the surface of the lake, and I honestly didn't think it was even remotely thick enough to support any weight.

I called ANF Dispatch and reported it.

Just how incredibly stupid does a parent have to be, to not only allow their children on the ice, but to participate in playing on it, or watching from the shoreline?

Those kind of idiot snowplayers can go home, and never return.

[Elk]

So I'm coming home from work on Big Pines Highway tonight about 4:45pm, and find about 10-12 people standing/playing on what remains of the ice on Jackson lake, including several small children. The remaining ice only covers maybe 1/4 of the surface of the lake, and I honestly didn't think it was even remotely thick enough to support any weight.

I called ANF Dispatch and reported it.

Just how incredibly stupid does a parent have to be, to not only allow their children on the ice, but to participate in playing on it, or watching from the shoreline?

Those kind of idiot snowplayers can go home, and never return.

I have seen the same literally hundreds of times. I used to warn people but that got old and very time consuming. Not to mention being completely ignored or told to go do unthinkable acts to myself.

It probably only took ANF a few hours to get there to warn them if at all.

What does Toolman say again???

[ForestGal]

Um, Elk, I do believe it's something on the order of ......"You can't fix stupid".  How many times do we have to be reminded of this, before someone else is tragically killed because of stupidity?  Only 59 days, 18 hours, and some odd minutes and seconds left until spring.......

But who's counting?......

[SkierBob]

I don't think it's the forest service job to protect the pubic.  Their job is to manage our natural resources.  Lawyers are to blame, stupid people should be allowed to cull themselves from the herd. The World would be a better place.  Instead we have stupid people breeding causing the decline of society.   

[tcaarabians]

People that come up to play in the snow and skate on Jackson Lake are a lot more uninformed than stupid.  They just do not know because they don't live with it until they come up here.  They don't know the danger of it. However, people that think they can invade private property to play in snow.. are truly stupid and just darn disrespectful.

Perhaps a new sign: " Danger, Danger do not skate on ice unless you're a lawyer."  Then, we'd really cull them out.  cheryl o7o

[Bob C]

People that come up to play in the snow and skate on Jackson Lake are a lot more uninformed than stupid.

You may be right about them being smarter than we give them credit for. After all, they were able to walk around several large signs clearly stating that the lake was closed/no snow play/no trespassing without falling down.

[Wrightwood]

[Wrightwood]