IRVINE : Initiative Election Date to Be Weighed

The date for an initiative election to decide whether two pedestrian bridges should be opened to vehicular traffic is expected to be set by the City Council tonight .

The Yale Action Committee, a citizens group pushing the proposed initiative, will present the council with the required number of signatures to place the initiative on the ballot. Mayor Larry Agran said the council might put the initiative on the June ballot.

The two bridges in question are used for pedestrian traffic. Opponents of the initiative have voiced safety concerns about the proposed bridge connecting Yale Avenue over the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway crossing. Both sides of the bridge empty into residential and school zones. The other proposed overcross would be over the San Diego Freeway.

If passed by Irvine voters, the bridges would be added to the city’s general plan and converted for vehicular use. The City Council has been against giving automobiles access to the overcrosses, citing various safety problems for pedestrians and bicyclists who commute over the bridges.