Why this matters

The San Diego County Department of Public Works has a five-year plan that is regularly updated for infrastructure projects and upgrades.

Residents in Bonita and other nearby unincorporated neighborhoods could see resurfaced roads, upgrades for fire safety and more under San Diego County’s latest plan for capital projects in the area.

The county Department of Public Works presented its latest five-year capital improvement plan to residents at a Sweetwater Community Planning Group meeting last month. It focuses on safety, tackling fire, flood and road concerns across the San Diego region through infrastructure improvements meant to minimize risks.

A $6 million road reconstruction program along Proctor Valley Road in the San Miguel Ranch area, for example, would add a bike lane, pathways and improved drainage support.

From the Documenters

This story came from notes taken by Maya Flores, a San Diego Documenter, at a Sweetwater Community Planning Group meeting last month. The Documenters program trains and pays community members to document what happens at public meetings. Read the note here.

Other projects include:

  • Burying power lines and removing utility poles along Bonita Road between Frisbie Street and San Miguel Road. The work is expected to cost $5 million and be completed by mid-2029.
  • Drainage channel improvements totaling $5.9 million at Bonita Road and Acacia Avenue to help respond to a 100-year storm event.
  • About $3.8 million in sewer upgrades, including a larger pipeline near state routes 54 and 125.
  • A $600,000 plan to install a buffered bike lane along Bonita Road near Central Avenue by 2027.
  • Resurfacing roads like Tim Street and Golfglen Road both residential streets to be improved by this winter. The work is expected to be funded by state and Transnet funding.

While projects may be listed in the county’s capital improvement plan, they’re not certain. Some must obtain further approval or secure funding, or could be canceled altogether.

Gabe Gutierrez, a public works employee, said at the planning group meeting that projects are identified and prioritized based on operational and maintenance needs.

Their priority list regularly changes based on what is discussed by the public at community meetings. Gutierrez also said they also consider equity in their projects.

“More and more we’re looking at data to identify how infrastructure investments can address disparities across different communities that we serve,” he said. 

The county will continue to gather input on the five-year plan, and projects will be evaluated for funding and scheduling in upcoming budget cycles.

Type of Content

News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.