It is becoming increasingly clear that relinquishment of California State Highways 75 and 282 will be necessary to get effective and meaningful safety improvements that reflect the character of Coronado. Caltrans is simply too large an impediment and seems unable to work cooperatively in an efficient fashion with out City to solve the vexing traffic safety issues we as a community face.
The process would begin with the City of Coronado requesting Caltrans to prepare a study on what the relinquishment process would look like. It would focus on the current state of the roadway, identify immediate and long term (both maintenance and upgrades) needs and lay out a path towards an agreement that would reflect the monetary necessities and responsibilities inherent in the transfer of these roadways so important to our town.
Imperial Beach and San Diego are in the process of taking control of their portions of Highway 75 and California Bill AB 2075, being brought forward this legislative year, includes language relating to Coronado’s future take over of the existing state highways in our town. This bill would “pre-approve” relinquishment for Coronado and simply allow the formal administrative actions to occur when Coronado is ready to move forward.
This time is clearly growing near.
At the recent Safety Summit, Caltrans shared their emphasis on safe roads, an emphasis continually stymied by their local office. Hawk signals, speed tables, raised crosswalks with rapid flashing beacons and other traffic and pedestrian safety measures keep getting turned down, stuck in a review process or engineered down to invectiveness as happened with our bulb-outs three years ago.
Relinquishment involves monumental but not insurmountable issues including expense and liability that should be fully vetted by our community. The TOC should be called upon to convene workshops so that all the information is on the table and we as a city can make an informed decision. I frankly hope this becomes at the very least a 2016 campaign issue in our upcoming critical November election where 3 out of 5 seats are in play. Isn’t this exactly the kind of issue so great that an advisory measure should be placed upon the ballot?
Recent grave accidents coupled with all too obvious and endemic safety issues within our town’s traffic system have been allowed to continue for far too long. An opportunity for returning local governmental control and responsibility for Orange Avenue, as well as Third and Fourth Streets has presented itself and our citizens should have a voice in that decision.