Ramona traffic-calming measures considered

The Ramona Community Planning Group is developing eight traffic calming measures for San Diego Country Estates streets in an effort to avoid future traffic collision fatalities.

The group’s Transportation/Trails (T&T) Subcommittee began focusing on road safety in the Estates after 14year-old Logan Krapf was struck and killed by a pickup while he was riding his skateboard on Barona Mesa Road on Nov. 24, 2020.

The county Traffic Advisory Committee approved a Planning Group request for stop signs at three Estates intersections on Oct. 22, 2021. The recommendation is set to be heard by the Board of Supervisors on March 2. The intersections are Calistoga Drive at Vista Vicente Drive; Vista Vicente at Barona Mesa Road; and Barona Mesa Road at Barona Mesa Way.

Now the Planning Group’s focus is recommending other traffic calming measures such as adding crosswalks, closing turn lanes and directing traffic off residential streets and onto major thoroughfares.

The eight measures being considered based on recommendations by county traffic engineers are the following:

• Median turn lane closure, with crosswalk improved with a flashing beacon at San Vicente Road and Arena Drive.

• Right-hand turn lane closure at San Vicente and Gunn Stage roads.

• All-way stop and crosswalks at Gunn Stage Road and Arena Way

• All-way stops at five intersections:

• Vista Ramona Road and Arena Way

• Vista Ramona and Sargeant Road

• Arena Drive and Del Amo Road

• Arena Way and Open View Drive

• Arena Way and Arena Drive

At the Jan. 6 Planning Group meeting, members agreed to put the eight measures on the T&T Subcommittee’s agenda for their review. T&T members will make recommendations for the full Planning Group’s consideration, then share the info with the community for comment.