Caltrans Faces Backlash Over Controversial Parking Changes in Descanso

Caltrans has implemented significant parking changes along State Route 79 in Descanso, California, prompting strong reactions from local business owners and residents. The alterations, which include newly installed no parking signs, have already led to a noticeable decline in customer traffic, according to local business owners.

Brett Cooker, owner of the Descanso Junction Restaurant, expressed concern about the impact on his establishment, stating, “Definitely affecting business. People drive up and see all this and they just kind of keep on going.” Similarly, Barby Wohlrabe, who runs Heirlooms Goods and Gifts, reported a sharp drop in sales, particularly among tourists, just days after the changes took effect on August 25, 2023.

Changes to Parking Regulations Spark Local Outcry

Prior to the new regulations, the parking situation along SR-79 allowed for several spots, but now at the Descanso Trading Post, six parking spaces have been reduced to two. In front of the Descanso Junction Restaurant, only six out of 27 spaces remain available. Local businesses have voiced their frustration over the changes, which they claim were implemented without adequate communication or clarity regarding their necessity.

In August, the project faced a temporary suspension after intervention from Senator Brian Jones’s office. However, business owners were informed about the reactivation of the project with just one week’s notice. “They contacted me and John and said we had to sign an encroachment permit to use our existing parking,” Cooker recounted.

Resident Beth Landrum, who has previously raised concerns about traffic safety, noted that her attempts to address similar issues had gone unacknowledged for years. “In 2020, I filed a service request for traffic calming measures, but I didn’t receive a response until 2023,” she said. When Caltrans finally replied, they indicated that based on traffic collision records, no additional safety measures were warranted.

Community Safety Concerns Rise

The issue of safety along SR-79 has gained urgency, particularly following a serious accident in 2021 that left two young girls injured and resulted in a lawsuit against Caltrans regarding highway safety. Local business owner John Elliott emphasized the lack of attention to pedestrian safety in the area, stating, “There is nothing in there about parking. It’s all about Caltrans not taking care of pedestrians.” This sentiment reflects a growing frustration among locals who feel their safety concerns have not been adequately addressed.

In response to the backlash, Caltrans issued a statement defending the parking changes. “Caltrans recently restriped the area in front of the Descanso junction businesses to parallel parking in accordance with state traffic laws. For the safety of the public, parking on a state highway shoulder has never been allowed except for emergency situations and emergency vehicles,” the statement read. They also claimed to have communicated with the community and business owners throughout the process, stating they sought to balance safety with the preservation of parking options.

Despite these assurances, community members feel that their needs have been overlooked. “They’ve really turned their back on the community,” Landrum remarked. Wohlrabe added, “We have been trying to ask for speed bumps, for stop signs, anything that would help the traffic to slow down and it seems so simple, but the no parking is definitely not the way to go.”

As the debate over parking regulations continues, local businesses face an uncertain future, grappling with the immediate effects on customer traffic while advocating for improved safety measures on State Route 79.