SEAL BEACH : City Seeks a Say in Setting Traffic Policy

As the main artery between central Seal Beach and the San Diego Freeway, wide and curving Seal Beach Boulevard at times resembles a speedway more than a city street as drivers put pedal to the metal in their race to and from town.

And city officials fear that the situation might get worse if several proposed developments in nearby Huntington Beach are completed and more cars pour onto Seal Beach Boulevard.

In an attempt to keep the streets safe, the City Council last week approved a resolution calling on state legislators to give localities more of a say in setting traffic policy and speed limits.

The resolution asks the California League of Cities to sponsor legislation aimed at modifying state vehicle codes, which officials said don’t adequately address community concerns.

Seal Beach recently experienced some success in reducing the speed limit from 50 to 40 m.p.h. along a stretch of Seal Beach Boulevard in front of McGaugh Elementary School near Pacific Coast Highway, Councilwoman Marilyn Bruce Hastings said.

But Hastings said other stretches of road remain potential safety risks.

“In a lot of ways, the state likes to move traffic along. But that’s not always an advantage to the city,” he said. “When traffic moves that rapidly, it’s going through a mostly residential area. That can cause serious problems.”

This is especially true for Seal Beach Boulevard, which includes several sharp turns and runs by the Leisure World retirement community and a Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station housing area, officials said.

“We understand that traffic has to flow,” Hastings added. “But we have to meet our safety needs.”