Newport firm in its support of bridge

June Casagrande

In a move that deepens the divide between the city and its neighbors

to the north and west, the City Council voted Tuesday to stand firm

in support of building a 19th Street bridge across the Santa Ana

River.

The bridge is one of two planned by the Orange County

Transportation Authority to accommodate traffic in the area. One

bridge would connect Gisler Avenue to Garfield Street, which divides

Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley, and the other 19th Street to

Banning Avenue in Huntington Beach.

The Santa Ana River Crossing Study is a collaborative effort

between Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley

and the Orange County Transportation Authority to find alternatives

to the contentious bridges that have been part of county plans for

the past 50 years.

Costa Mesa has tried to start a grass-roots movement among local

cities to remove the bridges from the regional plan because they

would increase traffic through the city. Newport, however, took a

solid stance against Costa Mesa’s plan because, without the 19th

Street bridge, more of the traffic will come through Newport.

“We need that bridge,” Councilman Dick Nichols said Tuesday -- a

position shared by the other council members, who voted unanimously

to keep the bridge plan alive.

Costa Mesa’s request is dependent on Newport’s support because the

regional transportation agency won’t change its plans unless all

affected cities are unanimous, said Dave Elbaum, director of

strategic planning for the transportation agency.

Costa Mesa has arguably been the most devoted city to the Santa

Ana River Crossing Study financially and politically. Previous

councils have allotted $100,000 to the Santa Ana Rivers Crossings

Study -- half of the $200,000 total. The consensus among Costa Mesa

city leaders is that either bridge would ruin the surrounding

neighborhoods.

“This is disappointing,” Costa Mesa Councilwoman Libby Cowan said,

adding that the city has been working toward finding alternatives

that would equitably distribute the traffic burden between all the

affected cities. “This could put us back to square one.”

Newport Beach’s vote on Tuesday doesn’t necessarily slam the door

on alternatives. The resolution the Newport council supported was to

support the bridge plan “unless a reasonable and practical

alternative can be established that is fair and balanced for all

jurisdictions.”

It seems unlikely, however, that any alternative could better

serve Newport’s interest than the bridge plan.

“Everything we have looked at would suggest that no other viable

alternative really exists,” Newport Beach Mayor Steve 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.