Costa Mesa : $3 Million Spent in Upgrading Fairgrounds

More than $3 million has been poured into the grounds of the Orange County Fairgrounds and surrounding streets to ease traffic problems and enhance the grounds’ exterior in time for the opening of the Orange County Fair on July 9.

Fair officials said turning lanes on Newport Boulevard and Fair Drive and underground electrical work along the two streets were the most expensive projects.

The costs were shared by the Orange County Fair and the City of Costa Mesa. The fair’s cost of the underground electrical work was $227,000. The city spent close to $1 million for its share of work on Fair Drive, which extended from Newport Boulevard to Vanguard Street.

Projects now under way include:

Off-site roadway construction of paving, sidewalks, curbs and blacktopping along Newport Boulevard and two new lanes for Fair Drive.

Landscaping and paving of a dirt lot on the corner of Fair Drive and Newport Boulevard.

Installation of signs at the fair’s new main entrance, next to Costa Mesa city offices.

Electrical work at the new entry.

Installation of a new traffic signal at the entrance.

The fair will run July 9-19.