EL CAJON, Calif. (KGTV) — For years, residents living along Jamacha Road in El Cajon have dealt with the dangers of speeding traffic, frequent crashes, and in some cases, vehicles slamming into homes.
Now, after repeated community concerns and years of incidents, neighbors are seeing progress as city leaders move forward with safety improvements aimed at reducing crashes along the busy roadway.
A newly installed metal beam guardrail along a section of Jamacha Road is one of the first visible changes residents say is helping restore a sense of security.
"This street has just become so dangerous going up and down," said resident Alana, who lives along Jamacha Road.
For Alana, the issue is deeply personal.
Last May, she woke up in the middle of the night to a vehicle crashing into the back of her home, damaging her patio.
"I personally experienced it, and it was scary because when it hit my patio, I had just left out of there," she said. "Had I stayed on my couch, I probably would've been disfigured some kind of way."
Fortunately, no one was injured.
But Alana says the crash was far from an isolated incident. Over the years, she has witnessed numerous collisions along the roadway, including several that have made headlines.
"The first thing the neighbors did was they ran out and said, 'Are you OK?' They asked me, 'Am I OK?' because they were like, 'Not again,'" she said. "So even they know that it's dangerous."
Community concerns recently reached the El Cajon City Council, where residents pushed for additional traffic safety measures.
City officials have outlined several actions that are either underway or being planned, including installing rumble strips and adding additional guardrails along portions of Jamacha Road.
Resident Laurie DeBus has been heavily involved in organizing neighborhood efforts to address the problem.
"I am really delighted," DeBus said. "I can't believe the incredible turnout that we've had at a grassroots level and having so many neighbors."
What started with neighborhood meetings and community discussions has grown into a broader effort involving residents, city staff, and elected officials.
"With all our city officials really making this a priority, I'm excited to see where it's gonna go," DeBus said.
In addition to short-term improvements, city leaders are also discussing longer-term solutions to improve safety along the corridor.
For residents who have spent years worried about speeding vehicles outside their homes, the changes can't come soon enough.
"It could be at any given time," Alana said. "But once those guardrails come up, I will definitely feel safer."
Residents hope the planned improvements will help prevent future crashes and provide lasting relief for neighborhoods that have long lived with the dangers of traffic along Jamacha Road.
