TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to direct staff to develop a traffic plan that includes the placement of appropriately sturdy barricades at entrances at all Long Beach farmers markets and/or outdoor activities at which pedestrians must be adequately protected.
DISCUSSION
In 2003, a man crashed through saw-horse barricades and killed 10 and injured 63 others at the downtown farmers market in Santa Monica.
In late May 2008, the City of Santa Monica announced a settlement that with other defendants amounted to $21 million to the victims and families of those killed or injured.
While Santa Monica does not admit liability, it should be noted that both the court of appeals and the National Transportation Safety Board raised serious questions about Santa Monica's lack of steps to protect pedestrians at the farmers market. Specifically, the NTSB found Santa Monica partly to blame because the movable barriers were ineffective and the City did not have an up-to date traffic plan to protect the pedestrians from the very type of incident that happened. The same type of moveable barriers are utilized at Long Beach farmers markets.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
COUNCILWOMAN GERRIE SCHIPSKE, FIFTH DISTRICT