Three things in Orange County that I think need more logical and useful names.
One main primary river flows through the middle of the Woodbridge district of Irvine, thence through the San Joaquin Marshes, separating the University of California-Irvine side [left bank] from the business side, thence into the Newport Back Bay. This river is called, for some strange reason, San Diego Creek. I suppose it was named after the saint because they stumbled on it on San Diego’s birthday, or something. It certainly has no connection with the mission or city of the same name. By odd coincidence, though, the I-405, which runs parallel to it, was named [and the names are still usable], the San Diego Freeway. This has to be just a fortuitous coincidence. But the river is an important geographical feature of Irvine. Why not rename it the Irvine River?
Meanwhile, at the point where the river bends near the City Hall, another river feeds into it. This one flows from the east side of the Tustin Hills area across the plain to join the San Diego River. The area at one time was known as Cienega de las Ranas, which translates to, ‘Swamp of the Frogs’. Now it is called Peters Canyon Wash. Who was Peters, anyway? Here we have three choices that could be equally good: Tustin River, Ranas River, or Red Hill River, after a feature that it flows past.
The road that needs to be renamed is Dyer Road, an important pinch point on the 55. But it only carries that name for a short distance. Eastward it soon becomes Barranca Parkway; westward it changes its name to Segerstrom Avenue. Dyer was an early sugar beet baron, and on the mound where several hotels now stand stood his sugar beet plant. Most of us know what a Segerstrom is, and we have a fair idea what a barranca is, though I had to look it up. I learned that a barranca has to be deeper than an arroyo to qualify as a barranca. [The San Diego River, which Barranca Parkway runs alongside for part of its length, does not qualify as a barranca, but the good people of Irvine seem to be content with that, and so am I.] But would it not make more sense for Santa Ana, which controls Dyer Road, to rename the part east of the 55 Barranca Parkway? And the part west Segerstrom Avenue? If we want to commemorate Mr. Dyer, rename the Hotel Terrace, which runs behind the hotels, after him, and end the confusion about a road that changes its name three times, only one of which is indicated on the freeway signs.
While we’re at it, another channel flows into Newport Bay from Santa Ana past the South Coast Plaza area and the Newport Beach Golf Course. I think it’s called the Delhi Channel, after a nearby barrio. But why not the Segerstrom River? The House of Segerstrom has been able to parlay a relatively small piece of land compared to the Irvine Ranch into almost as much impact on the region as the House of Irvine. Is it not fitting that the two rivers that flow into the top end of the Back Bay could both honor these important families?
