Once people get used to it, the new layout of the Ridge Road-Zion Street intersection will move traffic through more quickly, city leaders promised - even as confounded drivers came upon the unexpected changes Monday.

New lane and intersection striping, temporary stop signs and a flagman greeted often irate motorists early Monday, two days before vehicles throng the intersection en route to schools in the Seven Hills District and Nevada Union High School on Ridge Road.

It's the first significant change at the heavily transited intersection in more than 30 years, City Manager Mark Miller said.

The biggest change creates two close stops along both Nevada City Highway and Zion Street rather than one stop at the intersection, Miller said.

On Nevada City Highway, drivers now must stop before the Imaginarium and again partway through the intersection before entering Zion Street.

On Zion Street, drivers now stop several yards before the previous stop line, and again after passing the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection office.

On Ridge Road, drivers will veer to the right before stopping at the new stop line, then on through the intersection.

Permanent stop signs with red flashing lights could be in place in a few days, Miller said.

But frequent users of the intersection expressed their doubts about the changes being an improvement.

"I'm puzzled as to why they did this," said nearby resident John Hazelwood. "Why wasn't the public notified? What have they solved?"

John Regan of Nevada City simply sees the change as confusing.

"It looks as though this interchange is going to be hopelessly complicated and dangerous," Regan said in an e-mail to The Union. He said both he and his wife were nearly hit by other confused drivers Monday morning.

Shorter delay promised

Miller admitted people are bound to be confused initially.

"The engineers said it will take a couple of weeks for residents to get used to it," Miller said.

Nevada Union High School students pose worries, Miller said.

"It might take the high school students a while to get used to it because of their inexperience as drivers," Miller said.

That's why the intersection change was made before school starts Wednesday, Miller said.

But as people grow accustomed to the changes, traffic will move through more quickly, Miller said.

"Once people get used to it, there will be a 50-percent reduction in delay time through the intersection," Miller said.

Nevada City paid LSC Transportation Consultants between $8,000 and $9,000 for the striping, and transportation sales tax funds paid for the asphalt repaving, Miller said. He did not know the total cost of the project, but said it was minimal compared to other city construction projects.

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To contact Staff Writer Greg Moberly, e-mail gregm@theunion.com or call 477-4234.