Council Decides Not to Repave Busy Road

Though expressing sympathy for residents between Hidden Hills and Marina Hills drives, the City Council this week rejected a request to repave a section of Street of the Golden Lantern with noise-reducing rubber asphalt.

Council members said Tuesday that the city has a long list of noisy streets. “We have roads in Laguna Niguel that are in worse condition that we are not fixing now,” Councilman Mark Goodman said.

Two weeks ago, the council approved a repaving program in the area but omitted the Hidden Hills-Marina Hills section. City staff members said repaving that one-third mile section of Street of the Golden Lantern would cost about $55,000.

Councilman Eddie Rose said he has visited the Hidden Hills-Marina Hills area, however, and estimates that the street will need repaving within five years. “It’s going to cost taxpayers much more to do it later than to do it now,” he said.

But others preferred to follow the city staff’s recommendation to wait. “I’m not an expert,” Councilwoman Janet Godfrey said. “None of us are.”

The heavy volume of traffic on Golden Lantern has led residents to call for a noise abatement program.

Golden Lantern is on a short list of “superhighways” being considered for rehabilitation by the Orange County Transportation Authority. Residents want to pay for noise mitigation now and be reimbursed by the county later.

The council agreed to speak with OCTA officials to clarify the project’s status.

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Request Denied

Street will not get noise- reduction paving.