Countywide : OCTA OKs Funds to Synchronize Signals

The Orange County Transportation Authority this week approved nearly $5 million to synchronize traffic lights throughout the county in an effort to improve traffic flow.

More than 300 intersections will be synchronized within a year through the program, OCTA officials said Tuesday, which will extend to 17 cities and some unincorporated areas.

“It’ll reduce traffic delays, traffic congestion and improve air quality,” said Dean Delgado, OCTA senior transportation analyst. “Motorists will benefit because they will be able to get from point A to point B in less time.”

Measure M, a 20-year half-cent sales tax approved in 1990, will fund about half the cost while cities and the county will pay for the rest.

Traffic signals along major streets that will be affected include nine on Jeffrey Road in Irvine, 11 on Los Alamitos Boulevard in Los Alamitos, 13 on Orangethorpe Avenue in Placentia, nine on Kramer Boulevard in Placentia, 48 on Newport Boulevard in Costa Mesa and 10 on Westminster Boulevard in Westminster.

Other streets on which signals will be synchronized include Walker Street in Cypress, Culver Drive in Irvine, Bushard and Newhope streets and Slater and Ellis avenues in Fountain Valley and Yorba Linda and Fairmont boulevards, Kellogg Drive and La Palma Avenue in Yorba Linda.

La Habra and Brea will synchronize 59 signals along Brea and State College boulevards and Birch Street, while Anaheim, Fullerton and Buena Park will synchronize 16 signals along a six-mile route on Orangethorpe Avenue from Stanton Avenue to State College Boulevard.

In addition, 20 signals along La Palma Avenue from Coyote Creek to the Santa Ana Freeway in Buena Park and 10 signals on Brookhurst Street from La Palma to Katella avenues will also be synchronized.

“People who drive those streets will find a measurable clear-cut difference in their commute,” said Stan Oftelie, OCTA chief executive officer. He added that OCTA plans to synchronize every street light in Orange County in the next 17 years.

Synchronizing Traffic Signals The Orange County Transportation Authority has approved spending nearly $5 million to synchronize 437 traffic lights throughout the county. Cities and streets where lights will be synchronized are listed in order of priority. Totals in the Funds Allocated column include Measure M money and matching funds from cities and the county, in thousands of dollars. City: La Habra/Brea Number of Signals: 59 Location: State College Boulevard, Brea Boulevard,Birch Street Funds Allocated: $327.0 City: Buena Park Number of Signals: 20 Location: La Palma Avenue Funds Allocated: 274.4 City: Los Alamitos Number of Signals: 11 Location: Los Alamitos Boulevard Funds Allocated: 190.0 City: Fullerton Number of Signals: 16 Location: Orangethorpe Avenue Funds Allocated: 485.0 City: Fountain Valley Number of Signals: 15 Location: Bushard and Newhope streets, Slater and Ellis avenues Funds Allocated: 750.0 City: Los Alamitos Number of Signals: 12 Location: Cerritos Avenue Funds Allocated: 283.0 City: Irvine Number of Signals: 10 Location: Culver Drive Funds Allocated: 253.1 City: Placentia Number of Signals: 22 Location: Orangethorpe Avenue, Kramer Boulevard Funds Allocated: 419.0 City: Newport Beach Number of Signals: 96 Location: Citywide Funds Allocated: 1,229.4 City: Costa Mesa Number of Signals: 48 Location: Newport Boulevard Funds Allocated: 337.7 City: Yorba Linda Number of Signals: 12 Location: Yorba Linda Boulevard, Kellogg Drive, La Palma Avenue, Fairmont Boulevard Funds Allocated: 244.3 City: Mission Viejo Number of Signals: 65 Location: Citywide Funds Allocated: 1,202.1 City: Anaheim Number of Signals: 10 Location: Brookhurst Street Funds Allocated: 548.6 City: Westminster Number of Signals: 10 Location: Westminster Boulevard Funds Allocated: 158.4 City: Irvine Number of Signals: 9 Location: Jeffrey Road Funds Allocated: 148.3 City: Cypress/La Palma Number of Signals: 13 Location: Walker Street Funds Allocated: 643.7 City: County of Orange Number of Signals: 9 Location: Bake Parkway Funds Allocated: 312.5 Source: Orange County Transportation Authority; Researched by MIMI KO / For The Times