Euclid is most complained about street in city

Euclid Street has drawn the most complaints from Anaheim residents who have called a hotline to complain about too many red lights on the county's streets. The Orange County Transportation Authority has received about 25 calls about Anaheim streets and intersections on a hotline set up to gather complaints about the poor coordination of traffic signals, said OCTA spokesman John Standiford. The most calls in Anaheim have been about Euclid Street, north of Lincoln Avenue, he said. Those callers complain that they always have to stop at every light, Standiford said. OCTA also has received calls about the intersection of Katella Avenue and State College Boulevard and about Orangethorpe Avenue, east of Rose Street. John Lower, the city's traffic and transportation manager, said there are a number of closely spaced signals on Euclid from the Riverside (91) Freeway to Lincoln Avenue. "That area is going to improve with the widening of the 1-5," he said. "A lot of people I know are frustrated with (the area)," Lower said. Lower said that the traffic on Katella and State College changes by the hour, time and day of the week. Events at Anaheim Stadium often create traffic jams at the intersection. But a 1991 traffic study showed that the intersection offered an "acceptable level of service," Lower said. Lower said that residents should avoid the area when there are events at Anaheim Stadium. Signals on Orangethorpe Avenue will be coordinated with the help of Measure M, the county's half-cent transportation sales tax, he said. The city of Fullerton will work to improve the coordination of traffic signals on Orangethorpe. OCTA has received more than 300 calls since beginning the hotline before Thanskgiving. OCTA plans on collecting the data and passing it on the city traffic officials. Residents who want to comment about signal coordination can call OCTA's Customer Relations Department at 636-RIDE, or l-(800) 636-RIDE from outlying areas of the country.