Closures Scheduled on The Tracks and 57 Fwy as Part of 57/Lambert Construction

Construction continues on the 57/Lambert Interchange Improvement project. As part of the project, two closures are planned for the week of October 12.

There will be a full overnight closure of the 57 Freeway at Lambert Rd on Tuesday, October 13 and Wednesday, October 14 from 12:00 a.m. – 4:00 a.m. The two-night closure is to accommodate Southern California Edison removing and replacing their overhead power lines crossing the freeway. This scheduled work requires the full freeway closure from Imperial Hwy to Lambert Rd in both directions, a Lambert Rd Eastbound lane closure, and a closure of the Southbound on-ramp and Northbound off-ramp. Detours will be available on Imperial Hwy and Brea Canyon Rd.

A portion of The Tracks trail, from St. College Blvd to Birch St, will also be closed beginning Thursday, October 15 at 6:30 a.m. and re-opening on Friday, October 16 at 5:00 p.m. The portion of the trail is closing for safety concerns regarding the Caltrans contractor’s demolition work of the existing 57 Freeway bridge overcrossing. The area will be dangerous, please stay clear from that area. Detours will be available to access the rest of the trail.

The 57/Lambert Interchange Improvement project is a multi-year, large-scale construction project. Once completed, the improvements will provide additional capacity, better traffic flow, enhanced safety, and reduced congestion and delays. Caltrans is the lead agency for this project and is responsible for all aspects of construction management. For more information on this project, and to view detour maps for the upcoming closures, visit cityofbrea.net/57Lambert.

Veterans Day Ceremony to be Held Virtually This Year on November 11 at 10:00 a.m.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Brea's annual Veterans Day Ceremony has been cancelled. In its place, the City will still honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, and recognize all Veterans, by hosting a virtual ceremony this year. The virtual ceremony will be aired on Veterans Day, which is on Wednesday, November 11, at 10:00 a.m. on BreaTV channels 3 and 99, online, and on the City’s YouTube channel.

This year’s virtual ceremony will follow a slightly different format and include a special recognition to honor all our local Veterans. If you are a Veteran or active duty service member, or know someone who is, the City of Brea invites you to submit a photograph by October 23 to be a part of the ceremony. Detailed information on how to submit a photo can be found on the City’s website. For more information, please call 714-990-7771.

Voting Options for the Upcoming November 3rd Presidential Election

Voting for the 2020 Presidential Election has begun. Every registered voter in California will be receiving their vote-by-mail ballot this first week of October. This year, there are three ways you can return your ballot.

• Deposit in a Ballot Drop Box anywhere in Orange County by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. These drop boxes are now open. Two are located in Brea at the Brea Sports Park, 3333 E Birch St, and in the circular driveway in front of the Brea Civic & Cultural Center, 1 Civic Center Cir.
• Drop-off at an in-person Voting Center. These will open October 30 – November 3. Visit any location in Orange County. Two will be available in Brea at the Civic & Cultural Center and at Pioneer Hall, 304 W Elm St, adjacent to the Brea Senior Center.
• Mail your ballot back. No postage is required, just make sure it’s postmarked by November 3.

The last day to register to vote, is October 19. However, conditional voter registration is available until November 3. For more information, visit ocvote.com/voting or cityofbrea.net and look for the voting icon on the homepage.

Census Completion Deadline Extended

As of early October, nearly 80% of Brea residents have completed their 2020 Census questionnaires. Fantastic job, Brea! Thank you for taking the time to make a difference in your community by responding. The good news is, there is still time to reach the City’s goal of a 100% complete count. While the completion deadline date has moved a few times this year, the most recent information indicates that the Census is still accepting responses through October 31. If you have not responded, please visit 2020census.gov to complete the questionnaire or obtain more information. The 2020 Census takes just a few moments to complete. The U.S. Census Bureau keeps your answers safe and confidential.

Feed Brea Pop-Up Pantry Extended into the Month of October

Feed Brea Pop-Up Pantry continues on Saturdays in October, at Brea Olinda High School, from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Families in need can drive-through to receive a free pre-filled box of groceries, containing protein and produce, while supplies last. Last month, Brea community leaders began partnering with “Farmers to Families” to bring this drive-through, Pop-Up Pantry to Brea. Since September 5, Feed Brea organizers reported over 8,700 food boxes distributed to more than 5,300 families. The weekly effort has also involved over 400 volunteers. For more information, visit Feed Brea's Facebook page.

Brea Fire Department Participates in Fire Prevention Week

National Preparedness Month (NPM) is recognized each The Brea Fire Department teamed-up with the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA) — the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for more than 90 years — to promote this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen!” The campaign educates everyone about simple, but important, actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe. According to NFPA, cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries in the United States. Almost half (44%) of reported home fires started in the kitchen. Two-thirds (66%) of home cooking fires start with the ignition of food or other cooking materials.

The Brea Fire Department has been sharing safety tips on their Facebook page this week. Some highlights include:

• Never leave cooking food unattended. Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling or broiling. If you have to leave, even for a short time, turn off the stove.
• If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you’re cooking.
• Always keep an oven mitt and pan lid nearby when cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan to smother the flame. Turn off the burner, and leave the pan covered until it is completely cool.
• Have a “kid-free zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.
  
  

Brea War Memorial Lighting Upgrade

The Public Works Building Maintenance Division recently upgraded the LED lighting panels on the Armed Forces monuments at the Brea Civic & Cultural Center’s War Memorial. The originally-designed LED panels were failing, had parts that were no longer available, and required a crane to remove them. New, custom-made, lightweight aluminum frames were installed, along with LED strip-lighting that can be easily maintained. 

Brea Overhead Street Name Signs Replaced by Caltrans

Last month, Caltrans completed removing the illuminated overhead street name signs on Imperial Hwy and replaced them with reflectorized City of Brea street name signs. The next phase of the removal and replacement process will be the overhead street name signs on Valencia Ave and Carbon Canyon Rd.  Many of the Caltrans signs were faded and cracked. The new Brea signs are more distinguished and will clearly let drivers know when they are in the City of Brea. A total of 90 signs and 25 intersections will be removed and replaced by the time the project is completed.

Keep Yourself and Our Community Safe from the Spread of COVID-19

In order to slow the spread of COVID-19, we encourage the community to continue complying with all State and County health orders, as well as using best health practices. Stay vigilant and follow the best practices listed below.

• Wash hands frequently and for at least 20 seconds.
• Wear a face covering in public.
• Disinfect commonly touched surfaces, such as cell phones, door knobs, light switches, keys, etc.
• Physically distance and avoid mixing with those you do not live with.

• More COVID-related information is available at cityofbrea.net/covid19.