Beach Boulevard Will Get ‘Smart’ : Traffic: Officials say $1.8-million project will improve the flow. First phase will take place in Buena Park, La Mirada.

Construction began this week on the widening and upgrading of Beach Boulevard to create what officials call a “smart street.”

The first phase will include removing and replacing asphalt and re-striping the street to three lanes in each direction from Stage Road in northern Buena Park to one mile north of Rosecrans Avenue in La Mirada. That 2.2-mile phase will cost $1.8 million and is expected to be completed by late December.

Donald K. Jensen, public works director, said the entire project, approved seven years ago, is needed to accommodate the growth in traffic.

Jensen said two other phases of improvement are expected to be completed by 1998.

“It’s going to take well over 10 years to do the project through our city, but at least something is finally happening, and the end result is going to be a very much improved Beach Boulevard,” he said.

The smart street project is being funded by Caltrans and the Orange County Transportation Authority.

The second phase of work includes repaving and striping the road to three lanes from Stage Road south to Manchester Boulevard. Parking on Beach Boulevard will be removed permanently, which will affect businesses since customers now use street parking. Jensen said the work is planned to start in 1995.

The final phase, scheduled to begin in 1997, includes the area from the Riverside Freeway south to Lincoln Avenue. That stretch will be widened to four lanes in each direction.

Jensen said the widening will affect some properties and signs since the boulevard will be widened seven feet on both sides to accommodate the four traffic lanes.