Study evaluating proposed bridges released

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- The long-awaited Santa Ana River Crossings study holds

encouraging news for 19th Street bridge advocate Robert Graham.

Bridges at 19th Street and Gisler Avenue would actually decrease

overall traffic because of the shorter distances many drivers will have

to travel, according to the study’s summary.

“We’re going to have a dog fight this time,” Graham said. “We’re going

to have both sides represented this time. The [19th Street] bridge going

in is the key to the whole Westside. I’m excited about this. I think it

is very positive for the bridge. It sounds unlike what the city seems to

want to hear.”

Graham has been an avid supporter of a 19th Street bridge for more

than two years despite vehement opposition by Costa Mesa and Huntington

Beach city officials, who want the bridge removed from the county’s

master plan.

Newport Beach officials have favored the bridge, while Fountain Valley

is considered a neutral party.

The Orange County Transportation Authority won’t erase the 19th Street

bridge or the Gisler Avenue bridge from its master plan unless all four

cities reach a consensus.

The Santa Ana River Crossings study evaluates the potential results of

removing the bridges from the master plan.

The study will not be available until Thursday, but a summary released

by the Orange County Transportation Authority on Thursday explains the

major points.

According to the summary, killing plans to build bridges crossing the

river on Gisler Avenue and 19th Street would result in no environmental

effects, while building the two bridges would increase noise and lower

air quality and aesthetics in the area directly around the bridges.

But lower traffic overall would result in better air quality and lower

traffic on some streets, the summary states, adding that an additional

lane on Newport Boulevard and turn lanes on several other streets would

be needed to accommodate growing traffic if the bridges are not built.

In Costa Mesa, the most controversial of the two bridges is the 19th

Street bridge, which would cross the Santa Ana River to Banning Avenue in

Huntington Beach.

Residents in the Freedom Homes tract on the city’s Westside began

working to eliminate plans to build the bridge in 1987, and other

residents have expressed concern about traffic, noise, air pollution and

safety if the bridge goes in.

A point not evaluated in the summary is whether the bridge will result

in more traffic on 19th Street, as many residents believe.

Even Graham and residents who agree with him have conceded that the

bridge would result in more traffic on 19th Street. They argue that the

bridge would revitalize the Westside, bringing traffic that would be

beneficial to businesses on 19th Street and raising property values

because of more direct access to the beach.

“I think we’re going to see benefits such as more jobs because of the

effects of traffic and home values going up significantly,” Graham said.

“If they did a Victoria Street approach, we would have a gorgeous

boulevard that goes right into the heart of our Westside, and I don’t

think you can find fault with that. If we want to be a poor city, then

let’s not build bridges.”

But Councilwoman Linda Dixon said the study has not changed her

opposition to the bridges. She said she does not believe the bridges

would reduce traffic and thinks that, instead, traffic will increase.

“Noise is a pretty important thing,” she said. “Newport Beach just

passed a stronger noise ordinance, so obviously noise is a priority. I’m

against building the bridge because I believe that if you build it, they

will come, and we’ll just have more traffic. We’ll have traffic invading

our neighborhoods on the Westside and on 19th and on Newport Boulevard. I

think that a nice pedestrian and bicycle bridge going to the beach would

be a wonderful idea, but not a vehicle bridge.”

While the Gisler Avenue bridge has been less controversial, residents

neighboring Gisler Avenue and Fountain Valley residents oppose it.

The proposed bridge would cross into Fountain Valley, where it would

connect with Garfield Avenue.

According to the summary, several homes on Nevada Avenue could be

displaced if the Gisler Avenue bridge is built and the city’s Suburbia

Park, adjacent to the Santa Ana River and the San Diego Freeway, would be

closed.