Corona council backs short-term crosswalk removal, orders study of long-term fixes at Magnolia and El Sobrante

Corona City Council members directed staff to remove the north–south pedestrian crosswalk across Magnolia Avenue at El Sobrante Road as an immediate, short-term step to improve signal coordination along Magnolia and to study two longer-term reconfiguration options for the intersection.

Traffic engineers told the council on April 2 that the crosswalk requires significantly longer signal time for pedestrians than the adjacent vehicle movements, and every pedestrian push of the button can add up to about 30 seconds of delay and put the corridor out of sync for up to six minutes. “This crosswalk is a big constraint on the signal timing at this intersection,” Senior Traffic Engineer Eric Cox said.

The council’s direction aims to reduce vehicle delay on Magnolia — the second-busiest corridor in the city — while staff return with modeling and impacts for two long-term alternatives. One option would convert El Sobrante to a right-in/right-out access configuration (Option A) and remove the El Sobrante/Magnolia signal; a second, more restrictive option (Option B) would “knuckle” or close El Sobrante before Magnolia and reroute traffic through the shopping center and other local streets. City engineers warned Option B could reroute traffic onto neighboring streets and through private parking areas, creating new conflicts for businesses and pedestrians.

Why it matters: City staff said Caltrans controls two ramp signals near the interchange and that Caltrans’ signal system does not interface with the city’s advanced traffic management system, constraining coordination. At the busiest observed hour, engineers said, nine pedestrians crossed while roughly 3,600 vehicles arrived at the intersection, underscoring the scale mismatch between pedestrian and vehicle timing needs.

What the council asked for: Council members generally supported the short-term crosswalk removal and asked staff to: (1) complete the California Vehicle Code–required public-notice process (staff estimated a 30–45 day notice period and a local public meeting), (2) return with traffic modeling and conceptual plans for Option A and Option B, and (3) include analysis of pedestrian safety around Centennial High School and outreach to the business community and Corona Chamber of Commerce. City staff estimated a conceptual study of the options at roughly $30,000; councilmembers asked that the study also quantify potential business impacts and look at additional alternatives suggested by council (for example, a cul-de-sac or a right-in-only layout) before any construction.

Public comment was extensive: residents, business owners and representatives of the Corona Chamber of Commerce urged the council to balance traffic flow with business access and student safety. One longtime resident said the crosswalk removal would be “no big deal” for pedestrians who could walk to nearby crossings, while restaurant owners cautioned that restricting access could harm newly opened businesses. The Chamber offered to assist with outreach to affected businesses.

Next steps: Staff will post required notices, hold public outreach to nearby businesses and residents (including the Chamber), coordinate with Caltrans on timing, and return to the council with the study results and recommended next steps. Staff said physical changes to signals and striping could be implemented after the notice period; temporary pedestrian barricades and updated striping would accompany the short-term change.

Evidence spans from the meeting: the traffic-engineering presentation began during staff remarks at the outset of the Magnolia/El Sobrante item and the council’s direction was given later in the discussion; councilmembers asked multiple questions and public commenters urged further analysis.

Council action: Direction given to staff to proceed with the CVC notice and short-term crosswalk removal and to study the long-term options (right-in/right-out and closure/knuckle), including outreach and school-safety analysis.