Traffic Woes in Newport Beach

Please do not be duped again by those intent on shutting down our city. We have a good economic atmosphere now and for the sake of me, I cannot fathom what our former mayor and his cohorts are thinking about. Certainly not the good of the city as they profess.

Those who signed the petition for Measure A never had a chance to read the entire initiative if they wanted to, because it was torn apart so only one page was available, and that was for signatures. That, coupled with all of the misleading statements about “stopping traffic” in and around Newport Center and Corona del Mar, assuredly caused some of you to sign without thinking about reading what you signed.

Nothing is going to “stop” the traffic in our area. We like being here and so do thousands of other Orange County residents who would like to live here but content themselves with a visit to our beaches. They are not the largest daily source of traffic congestion.

Look at Corona del Mar at 7:30 in the morning, any morning, and see all the cars going into Santa Ana and other areas inland for work. And look again at 5:30 in the evening as they go home. Talk about a standstill. That is every day, summer and winter. In the summer, we add the visitors.

Much of this would have been corrected by the use of the Pelican Hills Road, but people were told that defeating Measure A would reduce traffic. About $40 million was donated for road improvements and Pelican Hills Road. Without the help of the Irvine Co., it will be a long time coming, and we will all be asked by taxes or toll fees to pay for it. Not a good business decision.

Our economic base in Newport is good, but how long will it stay that way? With all business activity being sent out of the area, we are headed for an economic wasteland if we continue with “ballot box planning.”

DOROTHY HARDCASTLE

Balboa