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City staff previews 'Cruise the Loop' temporary street event on Mesa Verde Drive East
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Summary
City staff described 'Cruise the Loop,' a free temporary event that will close outside lanes on Mesa Verde Drive East so families can bike, ride golf carts and visit activity hubs; the demonstration is partnered with OCTA to gather public feedback for possible future street changes.
A city staff member described a free demonstration called “Cruise the Loop” that will temporarily close outside travel lanes on Mesa Verde Drive East to create wider space for bicycling, golf-cart travel and family activities.
"So Cruise the Loop is an opportunity for us to have a public works or an engineering project where we invite the public to come experience the roadway," the city staff member said, explaining the goal is to let residents try a different street configuration and offer feedback.
The staff member said the demonstration will run along Mesa Verde Drive East from Baker Street at Early College High School south toward Harbor Boulevard, with activity hubs at the north and south ends featuring local businesses and vendors. The event is free and intended for families and the general public.
Staff described how the closure will use the outside edge of the roadway to allow people to travel both directions on that outside edge and place a separation between the existing bike lane and moving cars to give visitors a more comfortable, quasi-separated bikeway for the event. "Let the community tell city staff, I like this, I don't like that," the staff member said, summarizing the outreach purpose.
The demonstration is in partnership with the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), which the staff member said is conducting a planning-level study of overbuilt roadways and supporting pilot events. The city said it will lead delivery of the festival-style demonstration while OCTA supports programming such as a bicycle rodeo.
The staff member cited a prior, similar demonstration on Merrimack Way near Orange Coast College more than five years ago, which the city used to gather public input and later pursue grant funding for implementation. For this event, staff said attractions may include food, live music, a possible farmers-market activity, arts and crafts for kids and an OCTA bicycle rodeo with trained experts.
No date, specific times, permit details or road-closure logistics were provided in the transcript; staff said only that the city hopes families and other residents will come out to experience the demonstration and provide feedback.
The reporter closed by encouraging listeners to attend; the staff member reiterated the invitation and thanked the interviewer.
