Local residents can raise funds for installation of speed signs, according to the city of San Diego, which answered that question from La Jollans.
Several residents concerned about the speed of vehicles on La Jolla Scenic Drive South had attended the May 20 La Jolla Traffic & Transportation Board meeting that explored how to address street issues amid the city’s budget problems.
One resident said a combination of busy pedestrian activity, high speeds and the presence of three schools — The Evans School, All Hallows Academy and San Diego French-American School — create a “death trap” in the area of La Jolla Scenic Drive South and Nautilus Street.
Another resident said it’s “scary to walk out at night” with cars “screaming down the road.”
Some residents say the area of La Jolla Scenic Drive South and Nautilus Street is characterized by busy traffic, high speeds, obscured street signs and other hazards made more dangerous by its close proximity to three schools. (Bing Maps and La Jolla Light)
Several traffic-calming ideas were floated — speed humps, roundabouts, additional analog signs and, seemingly the most popular, electronic signs displaying vehicle speeds.
But the question remained: How would such projects be funded, and could residents step in and raise the money themselves?
That question was answered recently when T&T Chairman Erik Gantzel said a senior city traffic engineer indicated that residents can indeed raise funds for installation of speed signs.
“They’re not cheap, but there is that openness on the part of the city to allow residents to do this on their own,” Gantzel said.
There is a caveat: Interested residents must submit their plans to the city Development Services Department and obtain proper right-of-way permits.
“I expected the city to say ‘No, we’re the only ones that can install these signs. Residents can’t come out and pay for them,’” Gantzel told the La Jolla Light. “I’m not sure why I thought that. I just was a bit surprised that the city would be OK with the residents arranging for these things to be installed on their own.”
San Diego city spokesman Anthony Santacroce described the permitting process as “fairly straightforward,” with step-by-step instructions available at sandiego.gov/development-services/permits/right-of-way-permit.
Links and additional resources also are available on the web page.
The process requires applicants to complete several documents, upload pdf documents under city requirements and verify sheet numbering. Submissions that don’t meet all the requirements will be delayed, according to the city.
Santacroce said there is no estimated timeline for the completion of each project but that the application will go in front of Development Services once it is filed.
Resident Deirdre Elliott said she understands delays in traffic-calming requests given the city’s efforts to close a large budget deficit, but she views the speeding issue as a high priority for people’s safety.
The speed limit in the area of La Jolla Scenic Drive South and Nautilus is 25 mph, but Elliott said she has seen cars pass by at speeds she estimated at 40-60 mph. This is especially dangerous with the number of children, bicyclists and senior citizens using nearby sidewalks and crossing the streets, she added.
“Since La Jolla Scenic Drive South is a main thoroughfare off Nautilus, I feel it is the city of San Diego that should take immediate responsibility for the means to slow the excessive and dangerous speeds,” Elliott said.
Two electronic speed signs on La Jolla Scenic Drive South between El Camino del Teatro and Nautilus Street are on a list of approved but seemingly unfunded projects.
A document outlining the city of San Diego’s list of approved but unfunded traffic-related projects in La Jolla includes a portion of La Jolla Scenic Drive South. (Noah Lyons)
Elliott said she believes the addition of two stop signs and white lines at La Pintura Drive and El Camino del Teatro would slow traffic speed and be significantly cheaper.
Either way, Elliott said she is willing to step in if needed.
“If the city is not able to fund this endeavor, then I shall do my best to rally my neighbors in this regard,” she said.
That sentiment is shared by Laura Eaton, a resident who has rallied neighborhood support to address traffic speeds on Prestwick Drive in La Jolla Shores.
Eaton described the scene on Prestwick as “absolutely out of control,” saying speeding in the curvy residential area makes it difficult for people who live there to pull in and out of their driveways and is dangerous for pedestrians.
Neighbors addressed the situation by forming the La Jolla Shores Heights Traffic Committee for Prestwick Drive, Inverness Court, Inverness Drive and Dunaway Drive.
As part of the effort, the group contacted Police Department and other city officials to install temporary trailers to track car speeds. Over an eight-day period, 157 vehicles surpassed 51 mph, and 25 traveled at what Eaton described as “freeway speeds” — 61-75 mph, she said.
“It’s unfortunate that the city doesn’t have the budget to make our streets safer,” Eaton said. “Residents should not have to fund basic road safety needs.”
Like Elliott, Eaton is intent on getting traffic-calming measures implemented, even if she has to take a more proactive approach.
The city’s list of approved but seemingly unfunded projects also includes speed-calming signs in the 8500 block of Prestwick Drive.
“The speeding on Prestwick Drive is such a critical problem that we are willing to try fundraising,” Eaton said. ♦