Costa Mesa : Preliminary Work Begins on 19th Street Widening

People who regularly travel on 19th Street may want to use an alternate route during the work of widening the four-lane thoroughfare, which begins today. Although the first couple of weeks will be taken up with surveying, according to Bruce Mattern, director of public services, digging will begin early next month, and traffic may be slowed at that time.

Construction will take place on about half a mile of 19th Street, between Park Avenue and Fullerton Avenue. Crews will erect traffic barriers and flagmen will help redirect traffic, which probably will be restricted to a single lane in either direction, he said. Access to businesses will be kept open, however.

When the $1.4-million job is completed in October, Mattern said, the street will have three lanes in each direction, dual left-turn lanes and a landscaped median.

While the work is in progress, drivers may report any safety problems to the city, at 754-5323 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., and at 754-5250 other times.