Two intersections sub par, report says

Deirdre Newman

Two city intersections are operating at substandard levels of traffic

congestion, according to an annual review of traffic circulation, and

while the city plans to make modifications to one, the other poses

too many challenges to fix at this time.

The city conducts the annual review each year to stay eligible for

the half-cent sales tax increase authorized by Measure M in 1990.

Planning commissioners received the review for 2002 earlier this

month.

The two intersections operating at inferior levels are: the

northbound Newport Boulevard frontage road at Victoria-22nd streets

and Fairview Road at Adams Avenue.

While the review contains an action plan to get the failed

intersections up to acceptable levels, there’s not much more that can

be done to improve the northbound frontage road and Victoria-22nd

streets intersection, associate engineer Raja Sethuraman said. And

it’s not imperative to fix it any further because it’s not creating

any traffic problems, he added.

“Even though it’s at [an unacceptable level], it’s at an optimal

condition,” Sethuraman said. “If it gets worse, then we’ll figure out

what else needs to be done.”

The 2002 general plan identifies level D or better as the

acceptable level of service for city-owned intersections on a scale

ranging from A to F. A represents free-flowing conditions, and F

symbolizes over-saturated conditions.

The review had originally identified three substandard

intersections, but one has already been improved to standard levels.

The intersection of southbound Newport Boulevard frontage road and

Victoria-22nd streets, which was at level F, was improved by adding a

southbound, free-flow right-turn lane so cars turning southbound on

Newport Boulevard don’t have to stop.

It is now at level B.

The Fairview-Adams intersection, rated E, requires a southbound,

free-flow right-turn lane. City officials had obtained Measure M

grant funds for this improvement about four years ago, but the City

Council directed the funds to be returned to the county a year later

mainly because of effects on landscaping in the area.

Transportation officials didn’t have an actual design when the

improvement was originally suggested, Sethuraman said. Once they

created a design, they found they could do the necessary upgrade

without affecting the landscaping at all, he said.

They are now hoping that the council will add the improvement to

its seven-year capital improvement program, which will be

advantageous when officials go back to the county to ask for the

necessary funds, Sethuraman said.

Planning Commission Chair Bruce Garlich said he was thrilled that

the intersection will finally get its upgrade.

“That’s what I was hoping they would do,” Garlich said.

The northbound Newport Beach frontage road at Victoria-22nd

streets -- was re-striped in the northbound direction to add another

left-turn lane. This brought the intersection from an F to an E. But

it’s not possible to do what’s needed -- add a third left-turn lane

-- because the freeway onramp only has two lanes, Sethuraman said.

“It’s a much, much larger-scale improvement that should be thought

through,” he said.

At this time, though, there are not any plans to do any other

upgrades to the intersection, Sethuraman added. And, despite its E

rating, the intersection flows freely, he said.

“We’re able to give it enough green time that all the cars are

clearing, they’re not backing up,” he said. “So far, it’s working

fine.”

The council will consider the 2002 review on Jan. 18.