Traffic Light Coming Soon Near Tragic Intersection

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Baldwin Park city officials hope by March to have a new streetlight at the corner of Baldwin Park Boulevard and Stewart Avenue, an intersection close to where a drunk driver killed 24-year-old Esmeralda Ramirez last summer as she was on her way to church.

Based on a report presented on Sept. 7 by Edwin “William” Galvez, director of public works, the Baldwin Park City Council voted unanimously to install a traffic signal at that location.

While city officials agree there is a need for a streetlight at the intersection, Galvez emphasized that he believes not even a traffic light could have prevented the tragedy because the August incident involved alcohol and excessive speed.

“The accident is so unfortunate, and the problem is that because the driver was under the influence, no signal or anything else could’ve prevented that from happening,” Galvez said.

According to Baldwin Park Police Lt David Reynoso, the Aug. 14 incident occurred just south of the intersection on Baldwin Park Boulevard.

Reynoso agreed the incident occurred because of the amount of alcohol involved. According to police reports, 27-year-old Rafael Espinoza Moreno’s blood alcohol content was twice the legal limit.

“[The Baldwin Park Police Department] has finished handling the criminal aspect of the investigation and handed it to the D.A. [Distric Attorney] office,” Reynoso said.

Moreno, a Baldwin Park resident, is facing vehicular manslaughter, DUI causing injury, and felony hit-and-run charges.

He also has a hold with the Office of Immigration Enforcement (ICE), which gives local authorities the ability to transfer undocumented immigrants to federal authorities.

Regardless of the reason behind the accident, city officials are striving to make the intersection safer. The first step toward improving safety was erecting a maximum speed sign that flashes how fast a car is going as it passes by. Once it reaches a certain speed, the sign flashes “slow down.”

The next step is to install the streetlight, which Galvez said is currently in the design phase. To help hurry the process along, the city is using a 2004 study that demonstrates a need for a traffic signal at the intersection. However, the public works department requested $2,500 to have a traffic engineer update the study.

According to the report, the traffic signal was not installed earlier because the city did not have the funds to design or install it.

To pay for the traffic light, the City Council approved the use of $175,000 from Proposition 1B money to cover construction. The total cost of the project, including the study and design, is $190,000.

Bidding on the project will take place this month and the City Council will award the contract in February 2012, with construction taking place in March 2012.