In June, Midway-Pacific Highway Community Planning Group was updated on a potential transit solution for the Sports Arena area’s redevelopment: the use of a dedicated bus lane from Old Town Transit Center.

But planners balked at supporting the proposal by tabling action on it. Their consensus was that it was premature, with too many unanswered questions to endorse it at this time.

Manny Rodriguez, executive director of RideSD, a nonprofit advocating for improving San Diego public transit, gave a presentation on the potential traffic improvement to Midway-Pacific Highway Community Planning Group on June 26.

“Our vision is to transform San Diego’s transportation culture and infrastructure to make transit the preferred option to connect communities,” said Rodriguez adding, “The current arena already produces significant (vehicular) traffic. Without proper transportation solutions, we face a worsening situation with Midway Rising. We’re here to talk about solutions for mitigating this (traffic) and really to help people take other (transit) options.”

How can Midway’s traffic be reduced? “By providing convenient, reliable, and competitive alternatives to driving your car,” answered Rodriguez. “It’s one thing to have a bus. It’s another thing to have a bus that’s reliable and convenient, and that people will choose over driving.”

Despite Old Town Transit Center being convenient, readily accessible by trolley, and near the 3500 Sports Arena Blvd. site, Rodriguez said problems remain in linking it with a future redeveloped Sports Arena. “The buses (from Old Town) get stuck in traffic so they are not very reliable,” he pointed out.

Rodriguez said the transit solution therefore is to “utilize a dedicated bus lane to avoid traffic from Old Town and Rosecrans Street to Sports Arena Boulevard and Midway Rising. We also need to improve the reliability of the bus by ensuring that it will not be delayed by traffic and that it will be accessible to first responders providing emergency service.”

Asked Rodriguez: “Why drive, when you can skip all the traffic on the bus?”

Midway planners however were skeptical.

“What is the benefit of dragging everybody down to that area?” asked Midway planner Tod Howarth who added, “There are a lot of moving parts for impatient people. I don’t know how you’re going to be improving (Sports Arena) accessibility by having more buses and more people in this area. It seems implausible, something that’s not going to be utilized.”

“Have you (RideSD) met with Midway Rising, and if not, why aren’t you having those questions with them?” asked Cathy Kenton, MPHCPG’s immediate past chair. She added, “Midway Rising has hired mobility experts. The City is involved with their mobility. And this (transportation improvements) all belong in their sphere.”

Concluded Kenton: “I’m not supportive of this (dedicated bus lane) because it hasn’t been evaluated as part of the process. I don’t think that’s your (RideSD) intention, but it feels like you’re going around Midway Rising and trying to get the community to endorse something that hasn’t been thoroughly vetted.”

The Midway Rising group, which includes Zephyr, Legends, and Chelsea Investment Corp., entered into an exclusive negotiating agreement with the City in September 2022 to redevelop the 48-acre former Sports Arena site. Their redevelopment objective is to deliver new affordable homes and a brand new sports arena, as well as retail and park space upgrading the neighborhood.

Midway Rising estimates an eight- to 10-year build-out for the new sports arena once construction commences following completion of permit approval and environmental review.

At MPHCPG’s June meeting, Jeff Meyer, Midway Rising spokesperson, noted their development team has been giving progress reports on the sports arena project to the city council every three months. He cautioned, however, that planning is taking longer than anticipated. “Our ultimate goal, since day one, has been to be back before the city council with an entire package, including a long-term ground lease, an environmental impact report, and financial improvements by December of this year,” Meyer said. “But now it’s looking like that will probably be delayed into early 2025.”

Meyer said an environmental report for Sports Arena area redevelopment is being developed. He added that completed documentation is expected to be released for public review sometime this fall.

For more information, visit ridesd.org.