Newport Beach in the Rearview Mirror
14: The Coastal Freeway: A Concrete Monster Almost Unleashed on Newport
In 1970, the Newport Beach City Council and California Department of Highways signed an agreement to build a coastal freeway—12 lanes wide in places—that would run through the heart of Newport and include a five-level interchange at MacArthur Boulevard and East Coast Highway. The route had been decided upon, funding was in place, and the Coastal Freeway appeared to be a fait accompli. But then, the Freeway Fighters of the Harbor Area came to the rescue.
In 1970, the Newport Beach City Council and California Department of Highways signed an agreement to build a coastal freeway—12 lanes wide in places—that would run through the heart of Newport and include a five-level interchange at MacArthur Boulevard and East Coast Highway. The route had been decided upon, funding was in place, and the Coastal Freeway appeared to be a fait accompli. But then, the Freeway Fighters of the Harbor Area came to the rescue.