COSTA MESA : Road Work Hurting Nearby Businesses

As a stretch of Newport Boulevard narrows to a single lane today to make way for work on the Costa Mesa Freeway extension, business owners say they expect to feel the pinch.

Starting today, the southbound portion of the boulevard between 17th and 22nd/Victoria streets will consist of a single lane until it is reopened in the spring of 1991, Caltrans officials said. Then the northbound section will be narrowed to a single lane until the project is completed in late 1991.

But many store owners and workers say businesses already are hurt by the project, and they expect the next phase to be worse.

“I just wish they would get it over with. It seems to be taking forever,” said Dan McArthur, a salesman at the Radio Shack at 2075 Newport Blvd.

Previous construction on the freeway has cut the store’s business in half, and he expects that with Newport Boulevard constricted to a single lane, customers may take their business elsewhere rather than hunt for new routes to the store, he said.

Jennifer Fahs, who works at Conroy’s Florists at 2275 Newport Blvd., said that store’s business has also declined.

“A lot of people are either allowing time for (heavy traffic) or forgetting it. Now we’re getting more phone business and less on foot,” she said.

The traffic has also cut the amount of flower deliveries the store can make because it tacks on 30 minutes per run.

Jenni Engelstad, manager of the Feed Barn, a pet and pet supply store at 2300 Newport Blvd., said, “Business people are getting pretty sick of it, but the residents are taking it pretty well because they know they’re getting a freeway out of it.”

Because of the construction, “there’s a lot of dust, a lot of shaking. I got rabbits sneezing in here all the time,” she added.

Caltrans officials said that although construction “always brings disruption,” they hope that their public-awareness campaign will help relieve the congestion.

“It’s still going to be possible to get to the businesses in the area,” said Caltrans public information officer Marian Hofstad.

Caltrans has distributed 90,000 flyers encouraging residents to find alternative routes. Also, a detour west on Victoria Street, south on Harbor Boulevard and back to Newport Boulevard will allow traffic to bypass the construction area.

Caltrans encourages those with questions to call (714) 768-4CAL.