COUNCIL RAISES SPEED LIMITS 5 MPH INCREASES ON MAJOR STREETS.

Byline: Helen Gao Staff Writer

GLENDALE - The City Council has spared residential streets from proposed speed limit increases, but decided to raise limits on a small number of major thoroughfares by 5 mph.

In a contentious 3-2 vote late Tuesday, Councilmen Bob Yousefian, Dave Weaver and Frank Quintero approved the changes, while Mayor Gus Gomez and Rafi Manoukian opposed them.

Signs will be going up shortly, raising the speed limits on sections of Central and Glendale avenues, Colorado Street, Glenoaks Boulevard, Verdugo Road and other streets. The speed limits on these thoroughfares are currently 25 to 40 mph.

The Glendale Police Department has sought the changes, saying that many current speed limits are unrealistic and unenforceable when challenged in court.

Weaver said rejecting the speed-limit increases would prevent the police from doing their job.

``It's not the way to go. You don't hamstring your professionals,'' he said.

Manoukian said he agreed with the increases in principle but objected to some of the minor arterial streets that were recommended for higher speed limits.

The council's vote means speed limits will be increased on Camino San Rafael, from Foxkirk Road to Calle Canto and from Calle Canto to the northern city limits; and Highland Avenue from Glenoaks Boulevard to Glenwood Road. Current speed limits range from 25 to 35 mph.

Along with voting for new speed limits, the council directed staffers to research installing speed control devices on a list of residential streets, where big discrepancies exist between posted limits and the actual speeds of most motorists.

Yousefian said he hopes traffic engineering or stop signs would help slow down traffic so speed limits can remain the same on those streets.