Fountain Valley council weighs $100,000 traffic study, asks staff to seek faster alternatives

Fountain Valley — The City Council on Oct. 7 debated whether to commission a traffic study for Euclid Avenue after staff presented level-of-service data and examples of how parking and event-related traffic affect flow. Public Works Director Scott Smith sought direction to start the procurement process for a study that staff estimated could cost about $100,000 and span into the next fiscal year.

Councilmember Grandes said parallel parking and RV parking along Euclid create safety hazards, calling the parking arrangement “very dangerous” because it can reduce travel to two lanes and complicate left turns. “I say just paint it and be done, but, I guess we have to do it the right way,” Grandes said, questioning the cost.

Vice Mayor Kuneen and other councilmembers urged staff to explore whether developer-supplied traffic data could be reused. Smith said some developer studies could be used as reference material but cautioned that an outside traffic engineer might not accept older, uncertified data as primary input. He added staff would solicit proposals and verify whether on‑call consultants or a progressive design‑build delivery could streamline work.

Councilmembers asked staff to include pedestrian and street-lighting review in the project scope after residents and members noted poor lighting at park crossings. Smith said staff would bring back options, including a memo or an award report if a streamlined procurement path is identified.

The council did not take a funding vote at the meeting; it provided direction to staff to move forward with outreach for quotes and to return with a staff report laying out schedule, estimated costs and funding sources.