Section of University Drive Will Continue to Exist in Name Only, Supervisors Decide

Orange County supervisors on Wednesday reversed an earlier vote and decided not to erase from the maps a stretch of University Drive in the Santa Ana Heights area that has been proposed but unbuilt for the last 30 years.

On April 8, Supervisor Thomas F. Riley proposed deleting the stretch of University Drive between Irvine Avenue and Jamboree Boulevard, contending that the proposal had drawn strong opposition from many groups. The supervisors routinely gave approval.

However, the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) subsequently reported that it would need to prepare an environmental impact report at a cost of $130,000 as part of the deletion process.

Riley then suggested doing a shorter report for $25,000, but that idea was shelved after supervisors reviewed an EMA paper detailing the negative impact of the deletion on countywide transportation.

Increased Traffic Demand

The source of the concern was a Jan. 18, 1985, report prepared during discussions of the expansion of nearby John Wayne Airport and redevelopment of the Santa Ana Heights area.

The document, which was produced by EMA Director Murray Storm, warned that if the stretch of University Drive were deleted, increased traffic demand by the year 2005 would require adding two lanes each to Coast Highway, the Corona del Mar Freeway and Bristol Street.

As a result, supervisors Harriett Wieder, Bruce Nestande and Ralph B. Clark teamed up Wednesday for a 3-2 vote that will leave the unbuilt road on the county’s master maps.

But will the road ever be constructed?

Opposition to Road

“Not particularly, no, in view of all the problems with it,” conceded Jerry Bennett, EMA’s manager of transportation planning.

He added that the proposed stretch has been on the county’s master plan of roads since the plan was drawn up in 1956 but always has drawn strong opposition.

The state Coastal Commission and the state Department of Fish and Game oppose one suggested alignment that would take the street along the Upper Newport Bay ecological preserve. Area homeowners have opposed another alignment that would route the street through bluffs overlooking the bay, requiring condemnation and bulldozing of expensive homes.

Wieder said she was embarrassed that the board was “now discussing it after we’ve made a decision.” But she opposed deleting the road from maps because it is “an integral, important part” of the county’s transportation system.

Nestande added that he was “shocked by the consequences” of never building the proposed road, and said he was alarmed by “the tremendous impact” its deletion would have on the other main roads in the region.