City Panel Will Review District Traffic Dispute

With one traffic plan already voted down in a heated election, northwest residents Tuesday asked the City Council to help end a neighborhood civil war by developing a traffic solution agreeable to most.

The council referred the matter to its environmental and transportation advisory committee and asked that other traffic proposals be considered.

The advisory election, which drew more than 1,600 ballots out of 2,700 sent to residents, showed that citizens want a solution to traffic but do not like the Floral Park Traffic Committee’s proposal.

The plan did not receive the required two-thirds approval.

Angered by commuters cutting through their neighborhood since construction began on the “Orange Crush” freeway interchange, area residents devised an 18-point plan, including placing traffic barriers around their neighborhood.

The area is bordered by Bristol Street on the west, 17th Street on the south, Broadway on the east and the Santa Ana Freeway and Memory and Sherwood lanes on the north.

Foes said the plan would be inconvenient for residents and called it a thinly veiled bid to keep away outsiders.

Unlike previous meetings, where neighbors shouted at each other, residents quietly but firmly restated their disagreements Tuesday.

Without a traffic plan to protect the neighborhood, supporter Bruce Nicholson said, “you’re going to lose one of your shining stars in Santa Ana.”

Opponent Jeff Borowitz disagreed: “The neighborhood does not want this plan, and I hope it dies.”

Outside the meeting, foes said the city should have developed a traffic solution instead of leaving it in the hands of warring neighborhoods. But Mayor Daniel H. Young told the council that there would have been complaints no matter how the city had handled it.