By admin SHADOW HILLS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — In Southern California’s horse communities, bridle trails often cross busy streets. In Shadow Hills, horse owners say one particular street is extremely dangerous, and there is a solution — but it’s been stalled for years by government bureaucracy.
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Now, they’re cautiously celebrating funding for the long-delayed project on Sunland Boulevard after years of complaints about dangerous conditions at a busy intersection.
Residents say crossing Sunland Boulevard at Johanna Avenue has been hazardous for decades, despite the area being surrounded by equestrian-zoned properties where an estimated 70% of residents own horses.
“It’s extremely dangerous,” said Tina Eick of Sunland.
“They drive like maniacs,” horse owner Alyson MacInnis added.
Residents said heavy traffic and speeding vehicles have made the crossing a persistent safety concern.
“This is really a nightmare. We’ve got heavy trucks driving in the middle of quiet neighborhoods at 55, 65 miles per hour,” said Shadow Hills resident Musheegh Muradyan.
In 2012, the intersection was added to a city list of recommended horse crossings. In 2021, the Los Angeles City Council approved $455,500 for a horse traffic light that can be activated to help riders and horses cross the roadway safely.
However, five years later, the crossing still has not been installed.
“The budget was allocated, the work was supposed to be done… at the rate we’re going, that’s going to be another 10, 15 years,” Muradyan said.
Tina Eick said the delay reflects a larger administrative problem.
“It is a huge problem, multi-layered layers and layers of bureaucracy that need to be addressed,” she said.
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The intersection is located within Councilmember Monica Rodriguez’s district. Rodriguez did not explain why the crossing has not been built, but said in a statement:
“While unexpected inflationary construction costs and additional public works requirements doubled the cost of this specific project, we are working with LADOT to include this project in an early 2027 package bid…”
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The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) said the crossing has already been designed and is ready for installation, but additional funding is now required.
“We need safe access. We need to be able to get across these streets,” Shadow Hills resident Jacqy Gamble said.
On Tuesday, the City Council approved a motion by Rodriguez to add more than $400,000 to the project, bringing the total funding to $892,500.
Horse owner Vickie Sampson welcomed the news.
“This is really great news! I should throw my hat up in the air!” she said with a laugh.
Still, some residents remain cautious after years of delays. Funding has previously been approved without resulting in construction.
Sampson said residents were surprised by how quickly the latest action occurred after years of inactivity.
“It was stalled for five years, and Alyson contacted ABC7, and it got done! So we’re just thrilled that it happened this fast. This fast after five years,” she said.
For now, horse owners say they are encouraged by the council’s action and hopeful the long-awaited crossing will finally be installed next year.
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