Redesign of Kanan/freeway interchange ruffles feathers in the business community





By John Loesing
Acorn Staff Writer

Progress is coming to Agoura Hills, but some local merchants say the cost might be too high.


City officials recently presented plans for the long awaited Kanan Road/101 Freeway interchange improvements, but it’s not the $24 million price tag that has business owners worried; they’re fearful the new configuration will hurt their bottom lines.


Representatives from the Kanan Plaza Shopping Center said the new design would cause a closure of Roadside Drive, which handles 30 percent of that center’s customer traffic.


The redesign includes a new southbound off ramp from the 101 Freeway that will knock out the part of Roadside Drive currently fronting the shopping center.


"There are a lot of things about this Roadside closure that bother us," said Bob Wickens, owner of the International House of Pancakes at the corner of Roadside and Kanan. "We don’t know if it might put us or some other people in the shopping center out of business."


Wickens said his restaurant would lose not only customers, but also valuable signage.


An El Pollo Loco representative expressed concern about losing accessibility to Kanan Road. Several businesses owners on the north side of the freeway shared similar concerns.


Jim Thorsen, Agoura Hills public works director, said the city has had "ongoing discussions" with the merchants and promised they would be compensated for loss of business and any rights of way leading to their property. Thorsen said much of the interchange design was dictated to the city by Caltrans.


"Yes, it will be much, much better," said Jack Dwyer, a spokesman for Kanan Properties, the shopping center owners. "However, we really don’t want the Catrans money and city money for Roadside Drive. We’d rather have Roadside Drive.


Kanan Properties has never been in favor of this type of configuration," Dwyer said.


The final design will be completed late next year followed by the start of construction. The new interchange is expected to be completed in 2005.


During construction, Thorsen said, "There’s definitely going to be some lane closures and there’s going to be delays. Hopefully the public will bear with us."


Design improvements include all right hand turns at the interchange—there will be no more harrowing left turns—two new intersections, realignments of Canwood Street and Roadside Drive—especially on the east side of Kanan Road—and more ramp lanes .


The Kanan bridge will remain three lanes in each direction, Thorsen said, but with the elimination of left turns and the construction of new intersections, the traffic will flow more freely.


"The intent is to eliminate signals and left turn pockets and waiting for traffic lights," he said.



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