La Mirada : ‘Super Street’ Plan OKd

The City Council has agreed to a plan to widen Beach Boulevard and turn the north-south thoroughfare into a “super street.”

Besides widening Beach from four to six lanes, Orange County transit officials plan to synchronize signals, add numerous bus turnouts and limit left-hand turns to improve traffic flow on the heavily traveled street.

While most of Beach Boulevard is in Orange County, a small stretch runs through east La Mirada in Los Angeles County. The entire cost of the Beach Boulevard Super Street Demonstration Project will be about $20 million. Half the project will be paid for by the federal government, with the rest of the money coming from state highway funds, gasoline taxes and Orange County Transit District sources. There is no cost to the City of La Mirada, but the council’s approval of the project was needed so the improvements can be made in the city.

Eventually, Beach Boulevard will be six lanes from Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach to Imperial Highway in La Habra. Construction is scheduled to begin later this year and continue through 1990. If successful, several other major streets in Orange County may be modified and become super streets.