Residents in Vallejo say they continue fearing for their safety as the city and its understaffed police department struggle to crack down on sideshows.
Last November, the Vallejo City Council approved a project totaling over a $1 million aimed at deterring sideshows at 15 intersections. Work began in June and is expected to be completed this month.
Brunswick and Regents is one of the intersections being worked.
An NBC Bay Area crew drove to all the intersections listed on the city map on There's actually 18 instead of 15 and only four had no changes. But some residents NBC Bay Area spoke to on Monday said they are still not convinced.
One woman, who asked not to show her face, said that last October, her car was stolen and used in a sideshow.
“It was completely burned to the ground, missing its wheels, absolutely destroyed and it had been used in that weekend’s sideshow,” she said.
The Vallejo resident thinks the city should be spending taxpayer dollars differently.
“I would hope that would start to put money into the police budget,” she said.
Vallejo councilmember Cristina Arriola said that she thinks the project doesn't fully address the problem.
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“It’s not even a barrier, they’re just obstacles at a small intersection where drivers drive around the obstacle to get to the other side of the street. So it blocks the intersection,” she said.
As work continues to finish the remaining intersections, Arriola is hopeful Gov. Gavin Newsom will consider California Highway Patrol officers in Vallejo, and that the city will appoint a new police chief by the end of the year.
“Maybe he’ll bring with him some strategies that he has had in their prior department,” she said.
The city manager encourages people to continue reporting sideshows, adding that public works is working on other approaches at major intersections within the next few months.
