COSTA MESA : Newport Blvd. Lane Opens; Woes Persist

While Caltrans opened a second northbound lane of Newport Boulevard on Tuesday, officials from the Police Department and the Orange County Fairgrounds met to hammer out a new plan to ease traffic flow during the upcoming county fair. The new lane on Newport Boulevard will help ease traffic flow toward the San Diego and Costa Mesa freeways out of town, Caltrans officials said. However, it will not erase traffic nightmares that have plagued the area since the lanes were narrowed for the $49.3-million Costa Mesa Freeway extension project.

“It is still suggested that (drivers) take alternate routes. It is still a heavily congested area,” said Eileen Aragon, a Caltrans spokeswoman.

Caltrans expects the second phase of the construction project, which will extend the eight-lane freeway south of Fairview Road to 19th Street, to be completed in late 1992 or early 1993. Bridges on 22nd Street, Bay Street and Fairview Road are expected to be finished by the end of this year.

Southbound traffic on Newport Boulevard will continue to be routed through one lane until Aug. 1, when a second lane is expected to be opened.

In addition to the construction project, the city expects traffic to clog up during heavily attended events at the fairgrounds, such as the fair and concerts that have been scheduled during its 11-day run starting July 17.

A $20,830 traffic plan was presented to the Costa Mesa City Council on Monday night showing how traffic will be routed into and out of the fairgrounds when the city expects heavy traffic. The Police Department expects to use cones to direct two or three lanes of traffic out of the fairgrounds toward the freeways.

One of the priorities of the plan is to keep that traffic out of residential neighborhoods and direct it out of the city, City Manager Allan L. Roeder said.

The city hopes to buy signs to help direct drivers on the freeways to the fairgrounds and to help them find the closest freeway on their way out of the parking lots.

The plan also calls for closing some residential streets closest to the fairgrounds during popular events. Residents would be able to enter their streets through other routes.