Council adopts 5-year update to Lake Forest transportation mitigation program; narrows some project scopes

The Lake Forest City Council on June 17 approved the 2024 five-year review and update to the Lake Forest Transportation Mitigation Program (LFTM), accepting alternative, lower-cost intersection improvements at three locations, removing one project in Irvine from the program, and approving updated cost estimates and a fee schedule.

Transportation staff said the program's total improvement cost is $14,670,000, of which $12,150,000 has been collected and $2,520,000 remains to be funded; the fees will be allocated among remaining housing units. Tran Tran, the city's transportation manager, told the council the LFTM has completed seven improvement projects, has four projects under construction, one Irvine-led project in design, three projects in planning or pre-construction, and one project being considered for removal.

Tran presented recommended alternatives to avoid major right-of-way takings and expensive roadway widening. At Los Olivos Boulevard and Rockville Boulevard staff proposed restriping to create a 19-foot-wide de facto right-turn lane rather than widening that could require taking portions of up to four private parcels. At Lake Forest Drive and Rockfield Boulevard staff recommended a right-turn overlap phasing to avoid a split-phase signal operation. At the Lake Forest Drive/ I-5 off-ramp (Avenida de la Carlota), staff recommended a signing-and-striping change converting a center lane to a shared left-right lane rather than major lane additions that would require coordination with Caltrans and multiple jurisdictions. Tram Tran said these adjustments produced a program cost reduction in the range of approximately $6 million to $9 million.

The update also proposes removing the Bay Parkway and Rockville Boulevard improvement (a project entirely in the city of Irvine) after city modeling determined the existing layout meets the current level of service. Staff recommended, and the council approved, the alternative improvements, the removal, and the updated fee schedule. Council members asked staff to clarify funding sources; the mayor and staff explained LFTM funds come from development fees collected when projects pull permits and are intended to mitigate cumulative traffic impacts from new development. Public comment from Andrew O27Connor criticized earlier intersection reconfigurations and raised concerns about other area projects and freeway interchange decisions; Tran and council members responded with explanations of the program's long-term mitigation purpose.

The motion to approve the 2024 LFTM five-year update passed unanimously. Staff said it will proceed with the approved alternative improvements and return as needed for design and construction actions that require further council action or interagency coordination.