Editorial

Last year, city officials pitched the idea of widening 17th Street

from four to six lanes between Orange and Irvine avenues.

The plan was widely criticized by residents and merchants alike.

We agree with the protests.

Coast Highway is six lanes. Harbor Boulevard is six lanes.

But 17th Street is no Harbor Boulevard or Coast Highway.

The street is dotted with small shops and eateries that give the east

end of the city a quaint, small-town feel. The residential neighborhoods

of the Eastside, area businesses and several local schools would be hurt

by a six-lane road.

In fact, in last fall’s election, out of the 11 candidates for City

Council, not one supported expanding 17th Street.

But somehow city officials haven’t got the message. In two secondary

plans now being pitched to the residents, one, known as Plan E, would

make it easier to widen the street. The other, Plan B, means the street

would probably stay four lanes forever.

But listen to this quote from Peter Naghavi, Costa Mesa’s

transportation manager.

“From day one it was obvious that the business members don’t want six

lanes and I do,” Naghavi said. “I think we’ve come to a good compromise

in Plan E. It provides what they want and allows us to be prepared in

case we want to widen to six lanes in the future . . . If criteria is

met, we have to look at six lanes. We can’t just turn our heads and

hide.”

That’s where we differ from Naghavi.

To be fair, Naghavi says he’s trying to save the taxpayers’ money. And

that without even the possibility of expanding to six lanes, the city

could lose out on millions of dollars worth of county transportation

funds.

What he is forgetting, though, is that it doesn’t matter what he

wants. What matters is what the residents of Costa Mesa want. And they

don’t want a six-lane expressway on 17th Street, no matter the cost.

We’re not saying the street doesn’t need improving. It does, and new

bus turnouts and a better configuration of lanes could well do the trick.

So to city officials thinking of defying the will of the residents and

merchants by widening the street, we have some advice.

Listen to the people who you work for. What they have to say is what

really matters.