Skip to content

Why We Can’t Have Nice Things: Drivers are Destroying Ktown Mini-Traffic Circle

Some Streetsblog readers are familiar with some of the sad history of the deadly intersection of 4th Street and New Hampshire Boulevard in L.A.’s Koreatown neighborhood. Last year, after a driver killed a 9-year-old, and after volunteers painted guerilla crosswalks, the city of Los Angeles Transportation Department (LADOT) installed official crosswalks and a temporary traffic…
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things: Drivers are Destroying Ktown Mini-Traffic Circle

Some Streetsblog readers are familiar with some of the sad history of the deadly intersection of 4th Street and New Hampshire Boulevard in L.A.’s Koreatown neighborhood.

@streetsblogla8

Finally L.A. City will install long-delayed safety improvements at a deadly #Koreatown intersection

♬ original sound – streetsblogla

Last year, after a driver killed a 9-year-old, and after volunteers painted guerilla crosswalks, the city of Los Angeles Transportation Department (LADOT) installed official crosswalks and a temporary traffic circle there.

The new circle wasn’t much, but appeared to somewhat calm car traffic.

In mid-November, LADOT installed this new mini-circle and official crosswalks at 4th/New Hampshire

LADOT is planning to install a long-delayed permanent circle there, with construction expected to get underway this year.

The battering of the temporary circle suggests it can’t come soon enough.

By early February, drivers had managed to loosen one of four speed bumps there. Another appeared damaged but remained affixed.

The 4th/New Hampshire circle in early February

This week – still less than four months after installation – three of the plastic bumps are loose and falling apart. Several reflectors are missing. It resembles a pile of debris that someone mistakenly forgot to clean up.

The 4th/New Hampshire circle this week

Perhaps LADOT (or another entity that actually cares about pedestrians’ lives – like the Crosswalks Collective L.A.) could put something there that drivers might take seriously: large rocks, granite or concrete blocks, jersey barriers, Toronto barriers, or maybe some kind of trap door with a deep pit lined with spikes?

Hopefully LADOT will begin construction on the permanent circle soon.

The post Why We Can’t Have Nice Things: Drivers are Destroying Ktown Mini-Traffic Circle appeared first on Streetsblog Los Angeles.

Comments Are Temporarily Disabled

Streetsblog is in the process of migrating our commenting system. During this transition, commenting is temporarily unavailable.

Once the migration is complete, you will be able to log back in and will have full access to your comment history. We appreciate your patience and look forward to having you back in the conversation soon.

More from Streetsblog California

The Week in Short Videos

April 10, 2026

Final Deadline Today (Friday): Get Your Tickets to the California Bike Summit

April 10, 2026

Friday’s Headlines

April 10, 2026

Sunset Dunes One Year Out: They Built it and People Came

April 9, 2026

’60 Minutes’ Take On High-Speed Rail Ignored Facts And Offered Nothing New

April 9, 2026
See all posts