Andrew Glazer
COSTA MESA -- The City Council discussed whether to spend more than $7
million to unclog congested freeways near South Coast Plaza late into
Monday night.
At press time, the council had not yet decided whether to spend the more
than $7.7 million.
The Orange County Transportation Authority insisted the city pay its
share of a $20.1-million project that would add carpool lanes to the
Costa Mesa (55) and San Diego (405) freeway interchange. The extra lane
would link the city to a 120-mile countywide stretch of multi-passenger
lanes.
Other traffic abatement projects would include constructing an onramp to
the northbound San Diego Freeway from Anton Boulevard, a new offramp from
the northbound San Diego Freeway to Avenue of the Arts and a widening of
the MacArthur Boulevard underpass at the Costa Mesa Freeway.
"We really want to move ahead with this," said Dave Elbaum, director of
planning and development for the authority. He said the county had
several million dollars in federal grants lined up, which may not be
available in the future. "Plus, I think if we delayed it, we might lose
credibility."
Peter Naghavi, the city's transportation services manager, said the
council would be making a big mistake if it failed to approve the
project.
While traffic is already bad in the area -- the interchange is one of the
country's 10 worst, according to the Federal Highway Authority -- it will
only get worse, he said.
New housing developments, such as South Coast Metro and Home Ranch, would
surely draw more cars there.
"You'd be very uncomfortable there if the measure didn't pass," he said
before the meeting.
He added that the city also would miss out on federal, state and county
grants if it delayed the project.
