SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- Drivers on a busy stretch of Friars Road in San Diego's Grantville neighborhood have grown accustomed to morning backups and orange construction barrels since last September, when Caltrans began a major infrastructure project at the entrances to Interstate 8 and Interstate 15.
"The project scope, overall scope of the work, is to reconfigure a couple of the on and off ramps that go onto I-15," Caltrans North Coast Corridor Director Victor Mercado said.
I met with Mercado to learn more about the ongoing work at Friars and Rancho Mission Road. The project is funded by the City of San Diego through development impact fees collected after the new developments on Civita Blvd in Mission Valley. An environmental report from 2008 recommended the changes being made to the entrances and exits.
The construction project includes several changes to Friars Road, including the addition of turn lanes at freeway entrances. The new design will require drivers to make complete stops and 90-degree turns instead of the current go-ahead configuration.
"It's not going to be a right turn. The car is going to have to come to a complete stop and make a 90-degree turn, and make it directly," Mercado said.
Bike lanes are also being added to both sides of Friars Road as part of the project. On the westbound direction of Friars Road, a Class IV bike lane is being added, which includes a two-foot buffer with a five-foot bike lane. On the eastbound side, a Class II lane is being added, which only includes the bike lane.
One of the concerns brought up by people on social media is whether a new bike lane will take away space for drivers. Caltrans says additional turn lanes are being added and the lanes are being widened to make space for the new bike lanes.
Laura Keenan from Families of Safe Streets for San Diego welcomes the addition of bike infrastructure to this busy corridor but believes additional safety measures are needed on the eastbound side.
"I would be hesitant to encourage somebody to ride on a bike lane at speeds of 45 MPH or faster, where there's a volume of traffic there is without protection," Keenan said.
Keenan hopes the city will consider future redesigns of Friars Road to align with San Diego's Vision Zero commitment to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries. She believes proper safety infrastructure will encourage more cyclists to use the area.
"People may say nobody rides their bike in this area, but it's probably because it's not a safe place to ride their bike in the area," Keenan said. “If it is safe, people will come."
Mercado believes this project lines up "perfectly with the goal in mind" for the city's Vision Zero commitment. He said safety was a top priority in this reconstruction and hopes to see more people use their bikes with the new bike lanes.
"Something that we want to encourage is the public to use or take advantage of the alternative modes of transportation the department is providing," Mercado said.
The construction is expected to be completed in December, approximately a month later than the original planned completion date. The total project cost $8.3 million.
Mercado added that Caltrans will be monitoring the modifications to survey whether additional changes will be needed in the future.
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