The City of Fullerton has been awarded a significant grant of $3,218,400 from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to enhance traffic signals and safety lighting at key intersections on Orangethorpe Avenue and Harbor Boulevard. This funding comes through the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), aimed at reducing collisions and improving roadway safety across the nation.

City staff is now urging the City Council to accept the grant and appropriating the necessary funds to move forward with the Orangethorpe Avenue and Harbor Boulevard Traffic Signal and Safety Lighting Enhancement Project, which has an estimated total cost of $3,576,000. To complete this initiative, a local contribution of $357,600 from Measure M2 Local Fair Share Funds will be needed.

The safety project, identified in the City’s Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP), targets significant collision patterns at several busy intersections, including:
– Orangethorpe Avenue at Harbor Boulevard
– Orangethorpe Avenue at Euclid Street
– Orangethorpe Avenue at Brookhurst Road
– Orangethorpe Avenue at Magnolia Avenue
– Harbor Boulevard at Commonwealth Avenue
– Harbor Boulevard at Chapman Avenue

Proposed improvements are set to enhance visibility and safety at these intersections through upgrades like additional and strategically positioned traffic signal indications, protected left-turn phases, improved lighting for pedestrians and cyclists, and refreshed signage and road striping. These changes are expected to reduce conflicts and promote safer multi-modal transportation options.

The City applied for the grant on September 6, 2024, and their efforts have now culminated in a successful award, announced on February 27, 2025. City staff is confident that these enhancements will significantly bolster safety in one of Fullerton’s major thoroughfares.

City officials are committed to complying with all federal procurement procedures to ensure proper use of the funding, and they are looking forward to implementing these critical safety improvements for the community. With the pressing need for roadway safety on the rise, this grant represents an important step toward protecting drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists alike.

This information is from the supplemental Backup for city council for April 1, 2025. https://fullerton.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx