Considering its options

June Casagrande

Caltrans has made Newport Beach an offer it certainly can refuse. But

it’s anyone’s guess whether they will.

The state highway agency has offered the city $3.5 million to take

over ownership of Coast Highway between Jamboree Road and Newport

Coast Drive in Corona del Mar. The payment is to cover the city’s

maintenance costs of the three-mile portion of the highway for a

10-year period. But it’s almost impossible to tell whether that

amount will cover the city’s costs.

“It’s very difficult, if not impossible, to quantify how much it

will actually cost the city,” City Manager Homer Bludau said.

Maintenance of the road itself costs about $100,000 per year, but

it needs to be repaved every 10 years at a cost of about $1.7

million. And those estimates don’t cover storm drain filters and

other items the city believes will be added costs from taking over

the highway, Bludau said.

The Corona del Mar Business Improvement District has hired a

consultant to lobby Caltrans for more money to cover installing

sidewalks and other expensive improvement and maintenance costs.

The city’s biggest expense in taking over the highway could be

legal liability, Bludau said, but by Caltrans’ rules, the agency

doesn’t cover liability costs when relinquishing a portion of roadway

to a city.

“Liability could be the big issue,” Bludau said. “We’re still

trying to see whether the consultant can get Caltrans to agree to pay

more money. But we will leave it up to council to decide how much is

enough.”

Mayor Steve Bromberg said he wanted to see analysis of the

potential costs to the city before forming an opinion on how much the

city should accept for taking over that portion of Coast Highway.

“I need to see the science behind the numbers to see what are we

getting for that $3.5 million besides some concrete,” Bromberg said.

“I’m not convinced that the liability will be a big issue. Are we

buying a pig in a poke? I don’t think we are, but we need to look at

the numbers first.”

Bludau said that the matter will likely show up on a council

agenda in September.

Some supporters of a Corona del Mar improvement project are

anxious for the city to take over the highway because that would give

them more freedom and less red tape when making improvements such as

decorative planters and pedestrian and traffic signs. The Corona del

Mar Vision 2004 plan can likely take place with or without the

highway relinquishment, officials said, but relinquishment would

definitely make it easier for improvers to get permits and work done.

“I’d like to have it resolved as soon as possible,” Bromberg said.

* 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.