Safety of crosswalk on council agenda

June Casagrande

A flashing crosswalk or a pedestrian signal at the intersection of

Coast Highway and Iris Avenue are among the ways the city will

consider to make the notoriously dangerous pedestrian crossing safer.

A loud public outcry over a pedestrian hit by a car in Corona del

Mar on Sept. 26 has prompted city staff to update council members and

the public on plans already underway to make that crosswalk safer.

“In the budget, the city has already allocated $100,000 to look at

crosswalks in Corona del Mar and to install some kind of

improvement,” Public Works Director Steve Badum said. “What we

install will depend on the relinquishment of Coast Highway by

Caltrans, and we are proceeding forward on that.”

The city has been working with the California Department of

Transportation to acquire the section of Coast Highway between

Jamboree Road and Newport Coast Drive as part of the area’s Vision

2004 renovation project. Caltrans has resisted past attempts by the

city to install crosswalk signals and flashing lights, arguing that

these measures’ effect on traffic flow would be too great. City

officials disagree. Badum said he hopes that the stretch of highway

will be city owned by early next year. Pedestrian safety measures

would probably be in place by spring, Badum said.

“This is an intersection that has an unfortunate history of having

some accidents, but it’s not the only intersection we are concerned

about,” said City Councilman Dennis O’Neil, whose district includes

Corona del Mar. “I believe that the eventual relinquishment of

jurisdiction by Caltrans and the acquisition of Pacific Coast Highway

as a city street will help us in this effort to protect our

citizens.”

Even if Caltrans does not relinquish ownership of the roadway,

Badum said that the city will still push -- hard -- for pedestrian

safety improvements.

“If it’s still their highway, that might slow down the process

because we would have to win Caltrans’ approval to do something. It

would take some time to convince them,” Badum said. “We’re going to

look at whatever solutions are out there and look at other creative

solutions that may exist.”

A large number of residents were witness to the Sept. 26 accident

which, to many, appeared serious if not fatal. Some residents brought

it up a the Oct. 8 City Council meeting, others phoned officials, to

find learn the condition of the 19-year-old man and what the city is

doing about pedestrian safety.

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport.

She may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

june.casagrande@latimes.com.