Shovels Signal a ‘Go’ on ‘Super-Street’ : Congestion: Beach Boulevard becomes first county artery to start reconfiguration. Traffic will move faster when it’s done, but until then, drivers may want to steer clear.

Serenaded by surf music and wielding shovels in a tub full of sand, officials broke ground Wednesday for an $8-million Beach Boulevard “super-street” improvement project designed to speed traffic with additional lanes, new striping and signal coordination.

While the project promises to help relieve congestion when completed in September, 1992, construction efforts on the 6.7-mile section between the San Diego Freeway in Westminster and Lincoln Avenue in Anaheim are likely to cause traffic headaches in the interim.

The bustling, six-lane boulevard handles about 65,000 cars a day, but will be hard pressed to siphon all those vehicles as it loses a lane in each direction during construction.

Amid the strains of Beach Boys music and surf songs like “Wipeout,” local dignitaries--including Supervisor Harriett M. Wieder--took turns ceremoniously stepping into a small plastic wading pool filled with sand to dip their shovels and officially break ground on the construction job.

“It’s great to see the project finally take shape,” said Weider, who has helped shepherd the county super-street effort since the mid-1980s.

One of the busiest streets in the county, Beach Boulevard will eventually be expanded to four lanes in each direction, said Mona Ziada, an Orange County Transportation Authority spokeswoman.

Financed with money from the state and Measure M, the half-cent county sales tax increase approved by voters last November, the project ushered in Wednesday represents just one part of the 19.5-mile super-street planned along California 39 between Pacific Coast Highway and Imperial Highway in La Habra.

Although no completion date for the entire route has been set, it is expected to ultimately upgrade Beach Boulevard through all of Midway City, Westminster, Garden Grove, Stanton and Anaheim and portions of Huntington Beach and Buena Park.

In 1984, the Orange County Transportation Commission adopted a plan to create a network of 21 super-streets covering 220 miles of the county’s busiest roads.

The project includes new pavement, striping, synchronized traffic signals and turn lanes. Beach Boulevard, heavily traveled because it serves a corridor where no freeway exists, is the first super-street under construction and will be followed by work on Katella Avenue, Ziada said.

To help alleviate traffic congestion during onstruction, left-turn lanes will remain in operation at peak traffic hours and bus operations will not be affected except during repaving, which will be done at night and only for three weeks early next year.

In addition, two traffic lanes will be kept open in each direction during most of the project.

The only exception will be the next six weeks, when storm drain improvements on Beach Boulevard between Cerritos Avenue and Pacific Street will limit it to only one lane in each direction, Ziada said. Officials recommend Magnolia Avenue to the east or Knott Avenue and Golden West Street to the west as alternate routes.

Although access to businesses will be maintained during construction, many business owners expect sales to plummet as snarled traffic drives away customers.

Adam McGowan, manager of Car Stereo House on Beach Boulevard in Stanton, said business has already dropped 10% since preliminary surveying work began July 31, “and I think it’s going to get a lot worse. That’s a double whammy on us” with the recession.

After the project is completed, “I’m sure it will help, (but now) it’s a hassle for people to get down the street,” he added. “People can’t pull in and out of the parking lot. . . . They just don’t want to drive on Beach until it gets done.”

Reza Azizoddin, owner of the Shakey’s Pizza in Stanton, said he thinks the project will bankrupt some businesses.

“This is the worst thing that could happen right now with the economy the way it is,” Azizoddin said. “I’m very worried. As it is, we’re struggling.”

Still, chambers of commerce for the cities involved report few complaints from businesses.

Stanton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Joan Thomas said most of the half-dozen complaints she has heard concern the loss of customer parking on Beach Boulevard. She also said the problems caused by the project will be less than business owners expect.

Beach Boulevard En Route to a Super Street

Motorists along Beach Boulevard can expect to see lane closure signs popping up over the next year as construction crews proceed with the super street project.

THE WORK LOOP

Work crews begin at San Diego Freeway moving north, then returning south at Lincoln Avenue. One lane closed along short segments during day, but reopens by 3:30 p.m. for rush hour.

JUNE TO THANKSGIVING, 1991

SIGNAL UPGRADING: Intersection signals are being modified throughout the project, and all will eventually be coordinated. Work should be finished by Thanksgiving.

STORM DRAIN: Construction of an underground channel to relieve street-flooding problems in Stanton has reduced traffic to one lane each way. Two may reopen in mid-September. Work should be done by Thanksgiving.

GUTTER DRAINS: A work crew is moving gutter drains at five intersections as a prelude to pushing back curbs for road expansion. Work will continue until mid-September.

CURB REALIGNMENT: Curbs will be moved farther back from the street at five intersections to allow room for extra left-turn lanes. Work begins mid-August and should be completed by Thanksgiving.

JANUARY TO JUNE, 1992

MEDIAN REALIGNMENT: Medians along most of the stretch will be made smaller or rebuilt to allow for road expansion. Work begins after the 1992 New Year and should be completed by March.

PAVEMENT REPLACEMENT: Half-mile sections of decaying pavement will be ripped out and replaced with fresh asphalt from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. from mid-March to the end of April.

PAVEMENT CAPPING: Two-inch layer of asphalt will be added to pavement and new stripes painted. Work done by day to ensure a smooth surface. Requires closure of one traffic lane. Work begins end of April, finishes end of June.

SUPER STREET OPENS: Unless delayed, by July, 1992, the 6.7-mile stretch will have four traffic lanes in each direction, two left-turn lanes at five key intersections and synchronized signals.

Note: Completion times subject to change pending weather, utility delays or other complications. Delays will push back start dates.Source: Orange County Environmental Management Agency.