Orange council approves bollards and lighting changes for Plaza after safety review

The City of Orange voted 6–1 on Jan. 27 to move forward with two near‑term safety measures for Plaza Park: purchase and installation of additional bollards and a targeted adjustment to plaza lighting. Council member Tavares cast the lone no vote.

Staff presented an accident‑trajectory analysis of 43 vehicular incursions into the plaza between January 2018 and October 2025 and told the council that roughly 70% of those incidents involved drivers impaired by alcohol or other causes and that nearly all occurred at night. "These can be done in combination or standalone," the Public Works presenter said, summarizing a package that also includes splitter islands and raised crosswalks as more substantial, higher‑cost options.

Why it matters: council members said the physical risk to people gathered in the park — including late‑night visitors, restaurants and special‑event attendees — made rapid action necessary. Several members argued the posted lighting pattern can mislead drivers at night and that turning off linear 'acorn' lights during late hours, combined with a narrower bollard spacing, should reduce the number of vehicles entering the plaza.

The motion approved directs staff to purchase and install the additional bollards shown in the staff exhibit and to implement the proposed lighting modification. Council also directed staff to continue feasibility work on splitter islands and raised crosswalks, including drainage and emergency‑vehicle access reviews. Staff said splitter islands across all approaches were estimated previously at about $300,000; work inside the park (e.g., landscaping) is generally not gas‑tax eligible and may require general‑fund appropriation, while off‑park improvements could qualify for gas‑tax funding.

City staff estimated procurement for conventional bollards would take a few months; earlier custom orders lengthened past timelines. The presenter emphasized that recommended measures are not a single "magic bullet," and the elements were expected to be most effective if combined. Council member comments ranged from a phased approach to urging rapid purchase to address the near‑term risk.

The motion was made by Council Member Byers and seconded by Council Member Gillenhammer; it passed 6–1 with Council Member Tavares voting no. Council members asked staff to explore federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant opportunities and to contact county supervisors about discretionary funds that might help pay for improvements.

Next steps: staff will return with procurement details, budget requests and a landscape plan if council later authorizes splitter islands. The council set no immediate installation timeline beyond procurement estimates and follow‑up reporting.