Study Process
The SR-55 Access Study will identify conceptual alternatives and screen those concepts down to three or four feasible alternatives. Those alternatives will be evaluated in detail in a subsequent study effort.
In addition to technical analysis of potential transportation alternatives, the study also includes a public involvement process to assess community ideas for improvements and concerns that may not have been anticipated by the study team. Your comments will be integrated with the technical work to develop a set of feasible transportation alternatives to the proposed extension of the Costa Mesa freeway.
SR-55 Purpose and Need
The Purpose and Need statement for the SR-55 Access study defines the mobility problem and associated issues (the needs), as well as what the proposed project will do (the purpose). It was developed based on feedback received from elected officials and technical staff from agencies and cities, as well as from stakeholders in the study area. The Purpose and Need is the basis for developing the alternatives which are designed to provide solutions for the identified transportation issues.
- Improve mobility and reduce existing and future congestion along the SR-55 within the Newport Boulevard area
- Minimize adverse environmental and traffic impacts
- Manage regional traffic impacts to local streets
- Consider existing and planned transit programs such as Bus Rapid Transit
- Improve system linkage & connectivity within context of local and regional plans
Click here for the Purpose and Need Statement
Click here for Presentaion Slides from the Open House.
Watch Video of Open House
No Build / Baseline
The No Build / Baseline alternative represents a constrained regional network that implements the city of Costa Mesa’s planned improvements along the Newport Boulevard corridor while maintaining the existing Costa Mesa freeway (SR-55) / Newport Boulevard arterial configuration. The purpose of this alternative is to asses future traffic conditions with no major unplanned circulation improvements in the area, and to compare all subsequent alternatives to a baseline condition.
Costa Mesa’s planned improvements include:
- A fourth through lane on Newport Boulevard from 17th Street to 18th Street
- A fourth southbound through lane on Newport Boulevard from 19th Street to Broadway
- A southbound right-turn lane on Newport Boulevard at 17th Street
In addition to Costa Mesa’s planned improvements on Newport Boulevard, the No Build / Baseline alternative will address improved mobility east and west through 17th Street as a result of recent improvements to the intersections of Orange Avenue / 17th Street and Santa Ana Avenue / 17th Street, and enhancements to existing bus routes.
Click here for the No Build / Baseline Alternative
Current Freeway Plan (Easterly Freeway Extension)
The Current Freeway Plan alternative represents constrained regional network with a depressed six-lane freeway section in an easterly alignment per the existing freeway agreement. The existing freeway agreement would realign / extend the SR-55 east of existing Newport Boulevard from its current terminus at 19th Street to just south of Industrial Way as a depressed freeway with three lanes in each direction. The alternative would provide street overcrossings and interchanges at 17th and 19th Streets. Newport Boulevard would include lane configurations and improvements per the No Build / Baseline alternative.
The Current Freeway Plan alternative is derived from the previously preferred Alternative H-2 of the Final Environmental Impact Statement Route 55 Transportation Study, which was accepted by the Federal Highway Administration on July 8, 1985. This is the plan currently adopted and recognized as the future circulation system for the corridor.
Click here for the Current Freeway Plan (Easterly Freeway Extension)
Transportation System Management (TSM)
The Transportation System Management alternative identifies any capacity enhancements that can made within the existing SR-55 / Newport Boulevard corridor without significant right-of-way (ROW) or land use effects.
The TSM alternative represents a constrained regional network with an additional southbound lane to maintain four northbound and southbound lanes on Newport Boulevard as a conventional highway from 19th Street to 17th Street. The alternative would also provide enhanced bus turnouts along Newport Boulevard such that bus stops have minimal interference with through moving vehicles.
Improved signal progression throughout the corridor would be achieved through signal synchronization and signal timing optimization. Key intersections along the corridor would be coordinated to maximize traffic flow along the corridor while minimizing side street delay.
This strategy would have minimal effect on adjacent land us (i.e. some additional ROW would be required and on-street parking would be diminished), and would exhibit only modest improvements in traffic flow.
Click here for the Transportation System Management (TSM)
Improved Conventional Highway (Newport Boulevard Only)
The Improved Conventional Highway alternative is intended to demonstrate the extent of improvements should a conventional highway solution be pursued. This is more a demonstration of the necessary arterial lane capacity to achieve level of service (LOS) D or better conditions.
The Improved Conventional Highway alternative would provide the necessary capacity on Newport Boulevard to achieve satisfactory LOS D or better at key intersections through the entire corridor. To maintain LOS D, 10 to 12 through lanes on Newport Boulevard would be required. This number of lanes is beyond the cross-section for any known arterial type. Furthermore, significant right-of-way (ROW) is needed to accommodate the additional through lanes, and is therefore subject to evaluation and dismissal based on impracticality and level impacts.
Click here for the Improved Conventional Highway (Newport Boulevard Only)
Vertical Terminal Enhancement
The Vertical Terminal Enhancement provides an incremental approach of improving the corridor’s traffic flow, by first addressing the terminals (i.e., 17th and 19th Streets, and Superior Avenue) in order to improve congestion within the corridor. This alternative is intended to explore whether improvements at the two ends of the corridor are adequate to address congestion along the entire corridor, and determine the effects of such a strategy.
The Vertical Terminal Enhancement alternative represents a constrained network with improved mobility to 19th Street on the west side of Newport Bouelvard by adding:
- A ramp braid at the southbound Newport Boulevard tie-in at the SR-55
- A free-right turn lane from Newport Boulevard to 19th Street (existing bus turn-out to the west would be relocated)
- An eastbound 19th Street to northbound SR-55 flyover structure
The alternative would address mobility concerns at 17th Street on the west side of Newport Boulevard through significant geometric improvements at the Newport Boulevard / 17th Street / Superior Avenue intersections and partial widening along a parallel route (i.e., Superior Avenue). The geometric improvements would include:
- A dedicated southbound right-turn lane from Newport Boulevard to southbound Superior Avenue
- A northbound flyover from Superior Avenue to northbound Newport Boulevard
These strategies would vertically separate the critical turn movement from 17th and 19th Streets to the SR-55, thus allowing greater capacity for through movemements along the corridor. These structures would rise to approximately 30 feet and could have a take-off or landing curbside adjacent to existing buildings.
Click here for the Vertical Terminal Enhancement
Freeway Elevated (Over Newport Boulevard)
The Freeway Elevated over Newport Boulevard alternative involves construction of an entirely new structure above Newport Boulevard. The overhead viaduct would elevate the SR-55 freeway over Newport Boulevard from 19th Street to Industrial Way. A single column viaduct is proposed to minimize right-of-way (ROW) needs within the corridor. The viaduct would rise to approximately 40 feet above grade. The elevated freeway would be a four-lane controlled access freeway with an interchange at 19th Street. Newport Boulevard would be maintained as an eight-lane arterial with side street access. The purpose of this alternative is to separate traffic with origins / destinations within the Costa Mesa / Newport Height area from traffic with origins / destinations to the north along the SR-55 or to the south via Pacific Coast Highway.
Click here for the Freeway Elevated (Over Newport Boulevard)
Cut / Cover Freeway (Along Newport Boulevard)
Similar to the Freeway Elevated over Newport Boulevard alternative, the Cut / Cover Freeway along Newport Boulevard alternative involves construction of an entirely new structure below Newport Boulevard. The alternative would provide a four-lane controlled access freeway under Newport Boulevard from 19th Street to Industrial Way and an interchange at 19th Street. Newport Boulevard would be maintained as an eight-lane arterial with side street access. This alternative has an objective similar to the Freeway Elevated over Newport Boulevard alternative, but its solution is subterranean rather than along a viaduct.
Click here for the Cut / Cover Freeway (Along Newport Boulevard)