Santa Ana : Neighborhood Traffic Plan OKd by Council

The North Central Neighborhood Traffic Plan has received the final approval of the City Council, which also authorized transferring $100,000 from a contingency fund to implement the plan.

The plan was designed to protect the residential character of the neighborhood bordered by the Santa Ana Freeway and the Santa Ana River on the east and west, 17th Street on the south and the northern city limits.

The council Monday essentially accepted the recommendations previously submitted by the Planning Commission, but decided to prohibit north-south through traffic at the 17th Street intersections on Flower and Ross streets.

Initially, pavement markings and signs will advise motorists of the prohibition, and, depending on an evaluation, raised concrete curbs could be added as traffic diverters, George Alvarez, the project manager, said.

The council also directed the staff to work with residents and report back within 90 days on a community plan to prohibit right turns by motorists traveling eastbound on Memory Lane to southbound on Flower Street between 4 and 7 p.m. weekdays. The overall plan already contained a provision for a similar ban between 6 and 9 a.m.

Within two to four months, motorists will notice the following changes:

No parking Monday through Friday on both sides of 17th Street between Bristol and Flower streets from 7 to 9 a.m. and from 4 and 6 p.m.

The installation of six new four-way stop signs.

Less green-light time at four major north-central entryways, thereby restricting the number of cars entering the the neighborhood.

Restriping of the intersections at Flower Street and Memory Lane and Bristol and 17th streets.

The completion of four neighborhood entry portals, low walls on both sides of an entryway made of cobblestones.

Peak-hour turning prohibitions at westbound 17th Street to northbound Flower and Ross streets between 4 and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Traffic signal modifications at three other intersections.

In addition, the city will request the California Department of Transportation to study closing the Flower Street exit from the southbound Santa Ana Freeway.

Long-term measures include widening of Bristol Street between 17th Street and Memory Lane from four to six lanes. Sidewalks would also be widened. Already in next year’s preliminary budget are funds to widen the Bristol Street Bridge.

Alvarez said his department will be conducting an ongoing evaluation of the entire plan as it is implemented.