LAGUNA BEACH With the crowds starting to hit town for the popular summer art festivals and beaches, the city has a new plan to provide a fix to the gridlock that brings headaches to locals and tourists at this time every year.

On Saturday, the city will launch “Summer Breeze,” a free weekend bus service that will take passengers from the Irvine parking lot last utilized by Cavalia’s Odysseo at the 405 freeway and 133 toll road into Laguna Beach.

The buses will run every 30 minutes from Irvine along Laguna Cayon Road and stop at the Festival of Arts, Art-A-Fair and Sawdust Festival and at the downtown bus depot – half a block from Main Beach. The three Orange County Transportation Authority buses will run from 11 a.m. untilpaying $85,000 for the shuttles, drivers and gas and rent for the Irvine Co. parking area, Pietig said.

Pietig said the idea was born from a recent State of the City meeting where Laguna Beach Mayor Steve Dicterow talked about the impacts from an estimated 6 million visitors a year. Fifth District Supervisor Lisa Bartlett worked with Dicterow’s office and the city on the plan to secure the now-vacant Irvine parking lot. The plan was put together in about two weeks, Dicterow said.

The service is an extension of the city’s park and ride program that already runs a fleet of 24 weekend, summer festival and neighborhood trolleys. The trolley service has helped the city get a handle on traffic congestion and spread a summer-fun vibe to locals and visitors