Barricades are “first step” in fixing neighborhood’s complaints with traffic, taco shop

Residents living near Tacos Don Goyo say their neighborhood is plagued by trash and traffic. (Photos by Alex Dominguez)

DOWNEY - Residents living on Manzanar and MelDar avenues received their first glimmer of relief Thursday from the traffic and business issues that they say have plagued their neighborhood for years.

At their meeting this week, the City Council voted 3-0 (with Mayor Blanca Pacheco and Mayor Pro Tem Catherine Alvarez absent) to place temporary barricades at the entrance of Manzanar Avenue, at its intersection with Telegraph Road, in a trial to test the diversion of commercial traffic away from the impacted residential streets.

According to those residing in the area, drivers have tended to use Manzanar to avoid the intersection at Lakewood Boulevard and Telegraph Road, often speeding down the street and causing safety concerns.

In addition to the traffic, residents say that parking has been impacted by Starbucks, Arthur’s Restaurant and Tacos Don Goyo. The neighborhood has also suffered from unsavory activity stemming from patrons of the taco shop.

“Some of the issues we’ve been having is people throwing trash on our lawns, people throwing trash in the neighborhood, people parking in front of our driveways, people parking in front of cars,” said Christopher Rowland, who lives on Manzanar. “Before we had all the streets and sidewalks done, [customers] were peeing and pooping in our yards.”

Rowland said that a lot of the activity stretches into the late hours of the night.

“We have cars over there at 1, 2 o’clock in the morning, and people eat outside their cars looking into our houses,” said Rowland. “This has been going on for five years since this guy has been there. We have car alarms going off all night long; during Covid, they would bring their chairs and tables and sit outside their cars to eat. I don’t want that in my neighborhood.”

Rowland said he has also sustained property damage, in the form of slashed tires and his Jeep being keyed. He added that ownership of the taco restaurant “has done nothing to work with us.”

While Thursday’s city council action did bring some relief, it came with some blunt honesty from the council and interim City Manager Mark Scott: it likely wouldn’t fix all the neighborhood’s problems.

A sign posted on the window of Tacos Don Goyo. (Photo by Alex Dominguez)

“I will say right now very candidly, I’m not sure the phase one part of this test will work, and that’s because I think it is very possible that we will still have people will go down from a southern entry into Manzanar, MelDar and still create the same imposition into the neighborhood,” said Scott. “If in fact we find that it doesn’t work, phase two of this test would be to close the sidewalk access so that people would not be able to park down below and then walk up into the northern area to get to the commercial areas.

‘We’re simply trying to keep commercial activity in the commercial zone and out of the residential zone.”

“We know it may not solve everything, but we’re going to have to go step by step,” added Councilman Donald LaPlante. “Step one is now happening.”

Rowland agreed but said that it would “at least cut down on the traffic on Telegraph to Lakewood.”

“I have a kid who likes to go outside and ride his bike…You don’t see anybody outside our houses between 4 o’clock and 7 o’clock because people are flying down that road all the time,” said Rowland.

He said there was some satisfaction in the city council’s decision.

“At least they’re doing something,” he said.