Scary Street

Dear Mr. LaCava and Mayor Gloria:

On October 16, 2021 there was another serious accident on Del Mar Heights Rd. west of I-5 (DMHR). This follows the fatal accident which took place on April 8, 2021.

I am writing again to express my outrage at the continued appalling and negligent lack of action by San Diego City Government to make DMHR a safer and more pedestrian friendly roadway. Despite many years of widespread support and outreach from the Del Mar Heights Community, including public communications from the Del Mar Heights School District about the dangers posed by DMHR to schoolchildren, nothing has been done to improve the safety of the roadway.

It is long past time that local and city officials such as yourselves finally make the safety and welfare of the citizens of Del Mar Heights a priority by immediately implementing comprehensive traffic calming improvements to DMHR. There should be no hesitation in moving forward. This is not a difficult project nor does it require time consuming studies. The fact is, virtually every other major roadway in the area (other than the I-5) incorporates some fundamental traffic calming techniques, such as raised and landscaped center medians as well as landscaped buffers between the roadway and sidewalks. Traffic calming roundabouts have become standard practice. These are just a few of the well accepted traffic calming techniques that are already a part of the existing City of San Diego traffic calming toolbox. Not a single one of these measures is employed on DMHR.

DMHR must be transformed from a dangerous, wide open speedway that bisects a heavily populated area, to a safe and community friendly tree-lined boulevard which enhances rather than diminishes the quality of life of the community. This is a vision that can and must be realized now before more people are injured or more lives are tragically lost.

Sincerely yours,

Alan Rubinstein (frequent visitor to his family members on Recuerdo Drive)