Q: Dave Van Buren lives close to Yaamava’ Resort & Casino near Highland and has concerns about weekend traffic and street access for residents in the area.
Victoria Avenue is the street people going to the casino need to take, and it’s very busy with heavy traffic on weekends, he said.
Many casino patrons also cut through other residential streets, looking for a shortcut, Van Buren said, which creates extra traffic problems for residents.
Recently, the casino and city of San Bernardino installed traffic gates on Mirada Road at Victoria so that casino patrons will not be able to use Mirada for access; residents won’t be able to get through the gates either.
A gate is installed on Mirada Road at Victoria Avenue, near the Yaamava’ Resort & Casino near Highland. (Courtesy of city of San Bernardino)
“Residents have to take a long detour to go anywhere on weekends. It’s a real inconvenience,” Van Buren said, adding that the gates, when closed, could trap residents from fleeing from a fire or other disaster in the neighborhood.
“Is it legal for the city to completely close the use of a city street two days a week to its residents because of a private business traffic problem?” Van Buren asked. “These gates should be declared illegal.”
A: “This has been an issue for some time,” said Jeff Kraus, a spokesperson for the city of San Bernardino. He said the California Vehicle Code and the city Municipal Code give police the authority to restrict street access during special events and during periods of heavy traffic.
Kraus explained that traffic on Victoria Avenue, the main access route to the casino, can back up during peak times, sometimes all the way to Highland Avenue. Casino guests using certain apps often cut through neighborhoods, and the city has received complaints about street safety and speeding, he said. Discussions between the city, neighbors and Yaamava’ about potential solutions have been ongoing for two years, Kraus said.
A new gate is seen on Mirada Road at Victoria Avenue, near the Yaamava’ Resort & Casino near Highland. (Courtesy of city of San Bernardino)
Originally, as a test, cones were used along with an officer, often stationed at the intersections, he said. While this was effective, Kraus said officers had to stay at each intersection during the closures or people would move or sometimes drive through the cones.
“With the gates, officers can address nearby safety issues as well, including speeding in the neighborhood,” Kraus said.
Kraus said the Victoria gates, located at Mirada Road and Citrus Street, will remain open most of the time.
Beginning in May, it’s anticipated they will be closed during peak hours on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, along with during some special events and holidays, he said. San Bernardino police and the San Bernardino County Fire District will be able to open the gates, if needed, to respond to emergencies or calls for service, said Kraus. However, Yaamava’ security officers will not be able to open or close them.
“The response from the neighbors has been very positive,” Kraus said. “San Bernardino police and Yaamava’ have been educating the neighbors, and signage has been posted at the entrance to the neighborhood. Some living near the closures have to drive a little further to leave, however with the traffic on Victoria, it might be faster time-wise to take the back way.”
Do you commute to work in the Inland Empire? Spend a lot of time in your vehicle? Have questions about driving, freeways, toll roads or parking? If so, write or call On the Road and we’ll try to answer your questions. Please include your question or issue, name, city of residence, phone number and email address. Write [email protected] or call 951-368-9995. Note that we may use material from letters or phone calls in future columns.
