ORANGE

Traffic should loosen up a bit along Katella Avenue between Struck Avenue and the Costa Mesa Freeway, thanks to work the city will undertake this summer to make signals more reliable and sensitive to traffic conditions. The City Council recently approved spending $253,770 along the 2 1/4-mile stretch to upgrade eight signals with fiber-optic cable linked to a traffic control center at City Hall.

The signals had been connected with telephone cable, which city officials said was unreliable. According to city Public Works Director Harry Thomas, the upgraded system will improve travel time and reduce congestion, which, he said, should reduce accidents and pollutants. The new system also lays the groundwork for a potential traffic and safety monitoring system using closed circuit television. Thomas said motorists should expect minimal traffic delays during the six-month project, which should get underway by Labor Day.