Park Won’t Require Wider Side Streets

Side streets around a proposed 100-acre sports park in east Ventura will not have to be widened to handle more traffic, according to a study released Monday.

The report, a draft study of how the proposed park might affect surrounding neighborhoods, says that although the park would draw more traffic to the area, it would not draw enough to warrant widening side streets.

But the report recommends widening the northern side of Telephone Road to accommodate extra traffic, with a right-turn lane into the park. It also recommends widening Kimball Road south of Thille Street for a bike lane.

The study says traffic for large sporting events could be handled with shuttle buses, and that night-game lighting that could spill into surrounding neighborhoods could be resolved with a lighting plan. Angled lights, for example, would not reach past the park, and trees could be used as blinds, according to the report.

The city’s Parks and Recreation Commission will consider recommending the zone change to the council at its next meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall, 501 Poli St.