Newport Beach : Lights Adjusted to Ease Traffic Near Spill Site

Traffic lights will remain green a little longer for motorists northbound on Newport Boulevard and will be adjusted manually at each intersection if that isn’t enough to ease anticipated backups as workers clean up the damage caused by an oil well fire last week.

Police are requesting that beachgoers select another beach until the work is completed. One westbound lane of Balboa Boulevard is expected to remain closed for about four weeks as the cleanup continues near the well at 44th Street.

Sgt. Steve Van Horn said that the traffic is particularly congested in the late afternoon as people pack up and head home but added that there weren’t “any major problems so far this weekend.” Drivers took up to an hour to get out of the area last weekend when Balboa Boulevard was closed to traffic for several blocks.

The signals have been adjusted on Newport from Balboa to Coast Highway. “So people on the side streets are going to have to wait a while for a green light,” he said, adding that police officers will operate lights at each intersection if the jams get out of hand.

The explosion occurred as a city crew attempted to cap the well on Aug. 2, spewing oil over several blocks and burning worker George Murdock, 24, on 20% of his body. Murdock has since been released from the burn unit at UCI Medical Center.