HomeMy WebLinkAboutRPT 2 FWY LNDSCPNG 03-21-83TO:
WILLIAM HUSTON, CITY HANAGER
BOB LEDENDECKER, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS~CITY ENGINEER
SUBJECT: FREEWAY LANDSCAPING PROJECTS
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Tustin City Council, at their meeting of March 21, 1983, clarify to what
degree they desire to support the City of Orange's request for modification to the
current Orange County Transportation Commission policies of funding projects.
BACKGROUND:
The city of Orange is soliciting support from affected cities adjacent to portions
of the Costa Mesa-Newport, Orange, Santa Ana and Garden Grove Freeways to request
the Orange County Transportation Commission to provide a balanced approach to
funding all freeway needs consisting of both operational improvements and
landscaping improvements.
DISCUSSION:
Staff has ~eviewed the City of Orange's request' for support in.promoting more
aesthetic type o$ improvements (landscape installation) along ~he freeways within
our respective Communities and cannot agree with the requested support for the
following reasons:
The Costa Mesa-Newport Freeway and Santa Ana Freeways are currently being
studied for the needs of future widening. These proposed widenings will
hopefully red~ce some of the congestion which presently exists on our
local street systems or help keep them from getting additional
congestion. Any funds diverted from these type of improvements into
landscape improvements would certainly delay the resolvement of Tustin's
problems.
The I-5/55 interchange modification is tentatively scheduled for 1986-87
construction. Presently, only about 50~ of the required funding has been
budgeted for this project. Any additional diversion of funds into
landscaping projects could adversely affect the completion of this
project.
The installation of landscaping and irrigation improvements will require
ongoing maintenance costs which again will divert much needed maintenance
dollars from the roadways and bridges within the system.
The existing freeway s~stems and proposed expansions are needed within
this county to maintain the most effective economic market place.- Our
communities could be adversely impacted without an adequately maintained
and expanded freeway system. An example of this impact is the extreme
congestion experienced by the community in the closure of both the Santa
Aha and Costa Mesa-Newport Freeways during the recent rainstorm.
FREEWAY LANDSCAPING PROJECTS
MARCH 16, 1983
PAGE TWO
It is assumed that as thoso operational type projects are implemented along the
freeways, that the landscaping of same could be included as a part of the project
if economically feasible.
BOB LEDENDECKER
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS/
CITY ENGINEER
Attachments
city of orange incorporated1888
orange civic center · 300 east chapman avenue · orange, california 92666
post office box 449
office of mayorjames beam
(714) 532-0321
February 18, 1983
The Honorable Richard Edgar
City of Tustin
Centennial at Main
Tustin, CA 92680
Re: Sta~ ~r%nsportation Improvement Program - 1983
Dear ~~a~:'
The City of Orange is enlisting the aid of its adjacent jurisdictions in
effecttng a modification to current Orange County Transportation Commission
policies. As you are aware, major portions of the Newport-Costa Mesa, Orange, Santa
Aha, and Garden Grove Freeways are devoid of all but minimal planting; the growth
that is present is weeds and dry brush which is not only an obvious scar on our
communities but is hazardous as well. In 1981., the City of Orange nearly lost
several homes and' apartments abutting t.he Newport-Costa Mesa Freeway in a major
conflagration of these brush areas.
For sixteen years, Orange has been awaiting the planting of the freeway shoul-
ders and interchanges throughout the city. These projects were once of high
priority; however, since the incep~ion of the Orange County Transportation
Commission, decisions have been made consistently toward funding only "operational"
improvements.
The Orange City Council supports the concept of prioritizing scarce funds to
provide the greatest benefit; however, we see no end to these high priority
operational improvements which will, in effect, forever preclude funding identified
aesthetic needs. The City of Orange, thus, requests your Council's support in
prevailing upon the County Transportation Commission to provide a balanced approach
to funding all freeway needs. Only in this way will the abhorrent visual blight on
our communities be eliminated.
RFB:dmn
cc: City Council Members
City Manager
CalTrans STIP File
CalTrans Freeway Landscaping File
Orange County Transportation Commission
Enclosures: photographs
orange civic center · 300 east chapman avenue ° orange, california 92666
post office box 449
office of mayor
(714) 532-0321
The attached letter was addressed to the following persons and was sent with
original photographs.
The Honorable John Cannon, Mayor
City of Garden Grove
The Honorable Robert McGowan, Mayor
City of Villa Park
The Honorable Gordon Bricken, Mayor
City of Santa Ana
The Honorable Don Roth, Mayor
City of Anaheim
The Honorable Richard Edgar, Mayor
City of Tustin
Copies of the attached letter and original photographs were sent to the
following persons:
Orange County Transportation Commission
Thomas F. Riley, Chairman
Ralph B. Clark
Daniel E. Griset
Bill Vardoulis
James Roosevelt
Orange County Board of Supervisors
Bruce Nestande, Chairman
NEWPORT-COSTA MESA FREEWAY 55
CALTRANS MAINTENANCE YARD, 1980
NEWPOrT-COSTA M~SA FP~WAY 55
CALTPd%NS MAINTENANCE YARD, JAN.
1983
NEWPOK~-coSTA MESA~ FREEWAY 55
A~T~K ~981 F~BE
ORANGE FREEWAY 57
GARDEN GROVE FREEWAY 22
SANTA ARA FREEWAY I-5