La Mirada~The fate of the fabled Carriage Restaurant in La Mirada is still up in the air as McDonald’s now has to decide if they still want to build after the completion of a recent traffic study has called for a new traffic signal.

Owner of the property Rich Development Co. of Santa Ana wants to replace the coffee shop with a McDonald’s restaurant.

After waiting months for the completion of the study from the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Traffic Division, La Mirada City Planner Gabriel Bautista told the La Mirada Blog it indicates a traffic signal would have to be installed at Wicker Drive and Telegraph Road; which is just north of the site.

Bautista said the cost of the new signal is estimated to be $250,000-$300,000 and McDonald’s would be responsible for a significant part of that cost.

The city as well as other tenants of the Crossroads Center would chip in for the new signal as well.

However, McDonald’s is now deciding if they still want to go through with the project and the “ball is in their court,” said Bautista.

If they do decide to move forward, the next step would be an approval from the La Mirada Planning Commission. The commission would only be approving the proposed drive-thru by McDonalds; the Carriage site is already zoned for restaurant use.

Bautista said he does not expect to hear from McDonalds until perhaps March, but that could change.

The Carriage has been closed since December 2nd when an early morning fire ripped through the eatery’s kitchen, destroying it.

It is still unclear if owner Louis Liu will be able to fund a rebuild if the McDonald’s deal falls through.