Council Candidate Forum

This week’s question for city council candidates: What is your solution to resolving traffic issues near Newhart Middle School?

Response from James Edward Woodin:

The traffic situation around Newhart is among the worst I've seen anywhere. Adding to the problems, CUSD is bringing students to Newhart who live in San Juan Capistrano, and that's wrong. Schools in their city are closer, and I would put ample pressure on CUSD to get those students sent back to their own schools. The city has a vested interest in getting involved because it's a quality-of-life issue that affects our residents, their well-being and safety. I would work with the Planning and Transportation Commission regarding the clogged neighborhoods instead of passing the buck. School traffic shouldn't be cutting through residential areas, period, and this isn't the only school where it's an unresolved problem. The traffic flow around Newhart clearly isn't working, and it's unacceptable. It's bad for parents bringing their children to school, it's bad for the neighborhood and I'm concerned about safety issues as well. Traffic is detouring to avoid main streets and going into areas where no safety measures are in place. We have so many alarms going off – it's broken and needs to be fixed.

Response from Michael Ferrall:

Newhart was designed as a neighborhood elementary school, and it’s become an overpopulated middle school with more than 1,800 students. The city has attempted to partner with Capistrano Unified School District to resolve a number of issues, including traffic. The city has performed numerous traffic studies and spent city tax dollars to determine how to resolve an issue created by CUSD. The city must now find a solution – with or without CUSD’s partnership – for the sake of the neighborhood and parents of Newhart students. School traffic must stop cutting through the neighborhood, and the city must create alternatives for parents so that cutting through the neighborhood isn’t the best route for dropping off and picking up their children. I’d additionally explore common-sense approaches including staggering the arrival times at Newhart, with families opting to arrive earlier or later. I’m too often hearing that people who ask for help from City Hall get the response “we can’t do anything about it.” The purpose of city government is to serve and protect the residents. The current traffic situation at Newhart must change.

Response from John Paul Ledesma:

First, it is not now nor has it ever been the policy of the city of Mission Viejo to “divert traffic” onto a residential street. Newhart has close to three times the students compared with its originally designed maximum capacity. The best solution is to have the school stagger the starting times. The city paid to improve the school’s entrance, and a loop road around the back of the school to the Potocki Center may be a possibility for resolving the problem.

Response from Trish Kelley:

Attempts by CUSD/City to address this problem have not solved the problem. Newhart is at peak enrollment, which magnifies traffic. CUSD should balance enrollment among middle schools, provide affordable bussing to reduce parent transportation, and prohibit loitering by students. Police Services should spot enforce and ticket driving violations. Planning Commission should provide recommendations again for this neighborhood and the impacted Pacific Hills.