COUNTYWIDE : Residents Challenge Proposal for Bridges

A county study shows that building two new bridges across the Santa Ana River would be the most cost-effective way to relieve traffic circulation problems between Huntington Beach and Costa Mesa, but opponents say the study doesn’t support the need for the proposed crossings.

At a meeting at the Costa Mesa Neighborhood Community Center Thursday to present the study’s findings, about 75 people attended, with the majority voicing opposition to the bridges.

“It’s going to be a hard sell to the public, and to Costa Mesa residents particularly,” said Diann Osterlund, a member of a city committee overseeing the county study.

The newly proposed bridges would link Banning Avenue in Huntington Beach to 19th Street in Costa Mesa, as well as Garfield Avenue, which divides Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley, to Gisler Avenue on the northern boundary of the Mesa Verde Golf Course in Costa Mesa.

Of the people attending the meeting, Osterlund said 48 people signed a roster opposing the proposed bridges. “I’d say there was a very strong movement against the bridges,” she said.

Nancy Palme, an 18-year Costa Mesa resident agreed: “The community has spoken. We don’t want these bridges and the traffic in our neighborhoods.”

The bridges are part of the county’s master plan for future roadways.

Consultant John M. Kain said the cost of a third proposed bridge at Atlanta Avenue and Wilson Street outweighed the potential benefits.

Kain said the cost of building the two bridges linking Banning Avenue to 19th Street, and Garfield to Gisler avenues is estimated at $76.6 million.

But if the bridges are not built, the estimated cost of street improvements required to ease circulation problems would be $103.3 million.

Costa Mesa staff disagrees with the approach used by the county to analyze the traffic needs if the bridges are not built.

“If they (used) our methodology, less mitigations would be needed for roadway widenings--and the cost would be much less,” said Peter Naghavi, Costa Mesa transportation manager.

There is also opposition to the possible widening of East 19th Street into a four-lane roadway, which would require that 69 homes be condemned and demolished.

But the county study endorsing the new bridges says that the street could remain a two-lane, undivided roadway, Kain said.

Thomas W. Fitzwater, the consultant preparing the environmental study, said a bridge linking Garfield and Gisler avenues would have the least impact, while a crossing at Atlanta Avenue and Wilson Street would have the most.

Fitzwater added that if any decision is made to move forward to build the crossings, the “potential to mitigate significant impacts” would be addressed in a more in-depth environmental impact report.

The studies are expected to be presented to the county Planning Commission in November and to the Board of Supervisors in December.

The next community meeting is planned for Sept. 29 at 6 p.m. at the Fountain Valley School District Office, 17210 Oak St.