A longtime El Segundo resident was arrested earlier this month after installing unauthorized stop signs at a neighborhood intersection that he says has become increasingly dangerous for children.
Joseph Brandlin, 44, who has lived in El Segundo for more than four decades, said he took matters into his own hands after months of failed attempts to get city officials to address safety concerns about the intersection of Loma Vista Street and Acacia Avenue.
The intersection is currently a two-way stop and is located near Acacia Park, a playground that reopened after renewal in 2021.
“I care deeply about the safety of our neighborhood and the families who live here,” Brandlin said.
Brandlin expressed concern about the intersection last year. He and other residents submitted a petition with approximately 50 signatures asking for additional stop signs. The city later said it conducted a traffic assessment, but residents were not notified when it occurred and saw no visible evidence of it, according to Brandlin.
El Segundo resident Joseph Brandlin was arrested earlier this month after installing unauthorized stop signs and painting “STOP” at a neighborhood intersection.
(Jose Brandlin)
The city ultimately determined that the intersection did not meet the traffic volume required for additional stop signs, Brandlin said.
But residents say the city's standard doesn't reflect reality.
“There's a park right there and it's a magnet for kids,” said Gary Sanders, 62, a resident of the neighborhood for more than 30 years. He noted that drivers traveling downhill toward the intersection often gain speed and may not anticipate pedestrians crossing.
On weekends and after school, the area becomes especially busy with families and parked cars, according to Sanders.
“A tragedy could happen,” he said. “I wonder if a tragedy has to happen for the city to do something about it?”
A resident walks his dog toward the intersection of Loma Vista Street and west Acacia Avenue in El Segundo, where resident Joseph Brandlin installed two new stop signs and painted a “Stop” sign with white paint on the street.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
In the weeks before his arrest, Brandlin said he witnessed several near-collisions, including incidents involving children.
He described a close call involving his son, who was nearly hit while riding his bike due to limited visibility at the intersection.
“That was the last straw,” he said.
Brandlin spent about $1,000 of his own money on commercial-grade materials, including 30-inch reflective stop signs that matched the others on the street. He began installing them himself to replace the yellow crosswalk signals at the intersection in the early morning hours of March 14, according to the El Segundo Police Department.
Police arrested him around 1:30 a.m. while he was working the second direction of traffic. Brandlin called the arrest excessive and said he was cited with multiple charges, including felonies.
Charges include interfering with a traffic control device, grand theft and vandalism over $400, the sergeant said. said Paul Saldana of the El Segundo Police Department.
Joseph Brandlin said he attended many El Segundo City Council meetings asking the city to install stop signs, but the city ignored his concerns. So he decided to take matters into his own hands.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
According to police, he was taken to a nearby jail and released later on the morning of March 14, with a summons. His court date is scheduled for June.
Despite the legal consequences, several residents expressed support for Brandlin's actions and expressed broader concerns about safety.
“I think it's a huge problem,” said Amanda Pruett, a local babysitter and mother. “The safety of our children is very important.”
Pruett said he has frequently witnessed unsafe driving in the area and believes additional stop signs could help reduce the risk.
Numerous residents told a Times reporter they had seen dangerous driving at that intersection for years, and one said his cat was hit by a car.
Following Brandlin's arrest, residents quickly organized. Brandlin collected 73 letters in 24 hours from nearby homes urging the city to take action.
On March 17 he presented the letters in a town hall meeting celebrated days after his release.
“I am asking the council for simple action to install stop signs at the intersection of Loma Vista Street and Acacia Avenue, or a complete and transparent evaluation with the community,” Brandlin said.
The incident sparked debate about how cities respond to community safety concerns and what happens when residents feel ignored.
El Segundo resident Joseph Brandlin was arrested earlier this month after installing unauthorized stop signs at a neighborhood intersection that he says has become increasingly dangerous for children.
(Jose Brandlin)
Brandlin said he contacted city officials but did not receive a response.
“The city just wasn't listening,” he said.
El Segundo officials did not respond to a request for comment from The Times.
Brandlin's case is not an isolated incident. Across Los Angeles, residents and activists have increasingly taken street safety into their own hands, often frustrated by delays in the city's response.
In SawtelleCommunity members painted crosswalks near Stoner Park after raising concerns about pedestrian safety in an area frequented by families, schools and daycares. The city initially removed the markings, citing accessibility requirements, before changing course and installing permanent crosswalks following public outcry.
Similar efforts have appeared in Koreatownwhere a group of activists painted a crosswalk at an intersection where a 9-year-old boy was fatally hit by a vehicle. The action was part of a broader movement of residents who say safety improvements often take too long or never arrive.
Tensions between residents and city officials have led to arrests.
In WestwoodAn activist with the group People's Vision Zero was cited for vandalism while painting a crosswalk without a permit, highlighting the legal risks of unauthorized safety efforts.
As Brandlin's case progresses, the intersection remains unchanged and residents continue to push for stop signs to be installed.
