VENTURA : Poli Street Closure Extended by Council

The Ventura City Council voted Monday to extend the closure of Poli Street near the Ventura High School campus for the rest of the school year to give officials more time to evaluate whether it should be closed permanently.

The council voted unanimously to keep the street closed until at least June 17 to complete a study on the effect the closure is having on surrounding streets.

Poli Street between North Catalina Street and Hall Canyon Road was closed Feb. 22 to help improve security at the high school by reducing the chance for drive-by shootings. The street was to be closed on a trial basis for 30 days.

But a committee organized by the city to study the traffic impacts of the closure and how they can be mitigated has not had enough time to complete its study, Mayor Greg Carson said.

District officials requested that the street be closed as a precautionary measure in the wake of the fatal stabbing of a 17-year-old Ventura High School student. Jesse Strobel was killed off campus in what police believe was a gang-related attack.

Supt. Joseph Spirito said Monday that he supports keeping the street closed until the city can complete its study. Spirito said the closure has not resulted in any major traffic problems on Main Street.

Poli Street is closed from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. City traffic engineers estimate that about 9,000 vehiles a day are rerouted onto Main Street because of the closure.