Traffic Management Plan
Shorter Drive Time
City of Big Bear Lake
Mayor David Caretto
after July 4th, comments, “Traffic after each year following fireworks
show is always difficult, with so many residents and visitors trying to find
their way back home. Wait times and
delays can often times exceed two hours or more. It is something we have all come to
expect. However, this year, through the
combined efforts of the City of Big Bear Lake, the Sheriff’s Department, the
CHP, and others, a Special Event Traffic Plan was created, with the help of a
traffic engineer.
The
plan was designed to help move vehicles along at a faster, more controlled
pace. The plan involved limiting
left-turns onto Big Bear Boulevard and managing traffic with Big Bear Sheriff
and California Highway Patrol personnel at major or critical
intersections.
The
Traffic Plan seems to have worked very well to reduce wait times and the
frustration of motorists. Many favorable
comments were received by the City of Big Bear Lake, Big Bear Sheriff
Department indicating that, folks could cross town in much less time than
previously, and most importantly the traffic moved along and moved safely. One resident noted that whereas a trip from
Red Ant Hill to Fox Farm normally took anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours,
this year it was a mere 15-20 minutes. San
Bernardino County Big Bear Division Sheriff Captain Bradford, indicated that
things went very well during the evening.
He’s commented the return home trip in the past took approximately two
hours and reports came in, that the same trips took only 45 minutes. The
Sheriff will make some tweaks next year,
but all-in-all, the plan was quite successful.
The
spectacular Rotary Fireworks show is a great boon to the local economy; bringing in thousands of visitors each
year. This year was particularly
successful, as the holiday itself fell on Saturday, resulting in many visitors
coming up early in the week or on Friday and staying until or through
Sunday. Hotels, lodges, restaurants,
markets and retail stores all reported very brisk business, which is great for
our entire Big Bear Valley.”
Congratulations to the Rotary Club of Big Bear Lake, the City of Big
Bear Lake, the Chamber of Commerce and all of those businesses and individuals
who made this year’s holiday weekend a tremendous success!
City of Big Bear Lake MAYOR David Caretto