Foothill Boulevard neighbors in Pacific Beach have a quandary: The traffic-calming roundabout they’ve advocated for years is being built, but it’s claimed not to be enough to resolve ongoing traffic safety problems.
PB residents near Foothill/Loring, where the new traffic-calming roundabout is going, are complaining of people regularly speeding through the construction area there. Pointing out that is posing a real safety problem, neighbors have also requested an all-way stop at the problematic Foothill-Tourmaline intersection farther north of Loring.
But neighbors’ initial request for an all-way stop has been rejected by the City, which noted that the intersection falls far short of meeting the technical criteria to merit an all-way stop.
“Regarding the evaluation for an all-way stop at Foothill and Tourmaline, the reason that intersection didn’t pass was it didn’t meet the 20-point threshold (receiving 3 out of a possible 20 points),” said Anthony Santacroce, City spokesperson.
Santacroce added that the intersection failed to pass muster for a safety upgrade “primarily because it has low side street (Tourmaline) volume combined with high main street (Foothill) volume, low pedestrian volume crossing Foothill, and a good overall safety record.”
Responding to the neighborhood’s request, Council President Pro Tem Joe LaCava, whose Council District 1 includes PB, said: “Road safety is paramount, and given the results of the traffic study we continue to work with the Transportation Department to explore alternatives in response to neighbors’ concerns. I share the neighborhood’s goal of safe routes for all users of Foothill Boulevard, and look forward to the completion of the roundabout at Loring Street.”
“As you know, the roundabout for which I advocated for years finally is scheduled to become a reality, opening as early as this fall,” said Foothill neighbor Tom Coats, who’s been advocating safety improvements in the area for more than 30 years. Coats added he and other neighbors “are very grateful to the City, Council members Zapf and LaCava and local support for making the roundabout happen.”
But Coats offered this caveat: “One roundabout at Loring is not going to solve the traffic problems on Foothill,” he said. “A second traffic-calming measure is needed because cars will still speed on the rest of the .62-mile stretch of Foothill.”
Added Coats: “Look at it this way – the cost-effective solution of adding an all-way stop is the simplest way to finish the job that the expensive roundabout at Loring is starting in terms of calming Foothill traffic. Without a second traffic-calming measure, all the expenses that went into building the Loring roundabout will never be fully realized. Why wouldn’t you want to take this simple step to finish the job and finally protect residents?”
Time is of the essence, concluded Coats. “We can’t wait, as the Traffic Department suggests, to see the impact of the roundabout after its hoped-for completion this fall,” he said. “We residents know we desperately need a second traffic-calming measure – like a three-way stop at Foothill/Tourmaline – to slow traffic down in the absence of any police enforcement. Foothill is just way too dangerous as it exists today.”
