Full Notification

In mid May 2015, Robert Arabian took command of the Simi Valley Police Department’s Traffic Unit. Shortly after that, Simi Valley resident Patrick Kelley called the Police Department looking for some direction and a resolution to a problem he was experiencing with a pedestrian crossing signal at Sycamore Drive and the east-bound Hwy-118 off-ramp. Mr. Kelley spoke to Commander Arabian and described the issue.

Mr. Kelley explained that he is confined to a wheelchair and travels on Sycamore Drive to and from his place of employment. When he reaches the off-ramp from E/B Hwy-118 onto Sycamore Dr., he is unable to reach the button on the traffic signal pole for pedestrian crossing. Each day he passed the intersection, he would take the risk of crossing without the benefit of the "WALK" sign providing him the right-of-way.

He had contacted the City of Simi Valley and was informed the pole and traffic signal were managed by CalTrans, the State of California agency responsible for signs, signals and markings on state highways. Mr. Kelley contacted a supervisor at CalTrans who understood the problem, but said due to reduced state budgets and the expense involved in altering the pole, it may take 18 months to two years to correct the issue.

Commander Arabian set up a meeting with Mr. Kelley at the location to accurately assess the problem Mr. Kelley was having with the pedestrian crossing signal. Commander Arabian quickly realized that the set-back of the pole from the sidewalk created a situation where Mr. Kelley could not reach the button while seated in his wheelchair. That’s when Arabian went to work.

After getting off work, Commander Arabian went to a local hardware store and purchased some materials with his own money. With those materials, Arabian fabricated a device designed to reach the pole, complete with a bicycle hand grip and a rubber tip that Kelley could use to press the button and safely cross the intersection. Arabian took the new tool to Dick Kranzler, a local sign shop owner and long-time Police Volunteer, who added custom striping to the device.

On June 25, 2015, Commander Arabian met Mr. Kelley on his way to work and presented him with the homemade apparatus. Mr. Kelley was very appreciative that someone would take the time to help him with the problem he was experiencing. Mr. Kelley can now reach the button and cross the intersection at the appropriate time.