Santa Ana : No Action Set on Plea to Close Freeway Ramp

A Caltrans official said Wednesday that the agency probably will not take any action on the city’s request to close the Flower Street off-ramp from the Santa Ana Freeway until a lawsuit challenging the city’s North Central Santa Ana Traffic Plan is settled.

The proposed closure is part of Santa Ana’s plan to reduce commuter traffic in a neighborhood north of 17th Street between Bristol Street and the Santa Ana Freeway; the plan includes a no-right-turn restriction from Memory Lane onto Flower Street and diverters to stem traffic on Flower and Ross streets.

A citizens’ group, Concerned Residents of Santa Ana, filed a lawsuit against the plan and Superior Court Judge Donald McCartin ruled in the group’s favor last month.

“We would like to get a clear consensus from the citizens of Santa Ana that they want the off-ramp closed before we begin any action,” said Clarence Ohara, a Department of Transportation senior engineer. He said the closure would require an environmental impact study, a series of public meetings and approval from the Federal Highway Administration, a process that would take about a year.

Meanwhile, the City Council has received more than 100 letters urging it to direct City Atty. Edward C. Cooper to appeal the McCartin decision. Cooper said he has filed a “precautionary appeal” that he will pursue only after McCartin issues a written judgment and the council directs him to continue the action.

Jim Lowman, a spokesman for the traffic-plan opponents, said he has submitted a letter signed by group members to the council, urging them not to pursue an appeal.

Cooper said the precautionary appeal meant the traffic plan is still in place, although he didn’t know if violators were still being cited. “I’ve instructed the Police Department to continue to enforce the law, but I don’t know if any tickets have been issued,” he said.

A Police Department spokeswoman said that athere is no “special enforcement” in the neighborhood, as there was last fall when motorcycle officers were assigned to the Memory-Flower intersection, issuing tickets to morning commuters making illegal turns.