As you develop the City’s 2012 State and Federal legislative priorities package I would request that you consider the following projects:
Reform ofService Authority for Freeway Emergencies (SAFE) program: Along with Councilmember Lorie Zapf, whois a fellow SAFE Board Member, I am supportive of state legislation to reform the state law that funds San Diego’s SAFE. Potential reforms to include: Suspension of $1 per vehicle fee
Cap amount of spending on administration
Require the manner in which SAFE funds are allocated to a municipal jurisdiction bear a far or reasonable relationship to the payer’s burdens within that jurisdiction, or benefits received from, the governmental activity
Grants be directed to highway safety or public safety with clearly demonstrated link to highway safety
Make specific to San Diego County
Proposal of elimination of SAFE Board and potentially move oversight of SAFE to other government entity such as SANDAG
New onramp to NB I-5 at Camino de la Plaza,San Ysidro: Will provide congestion relief on Camino de la Plaza and San Ysidro Boulevard by decreasing demand at the East San Ysidro Blvd and Via de San Ysidro onramps. Onramp will provide direct access to the freeway from the proposed Intermodal Transit Center and the eastern business district.
New sidewalk on Old Otay Mesa Road between Otay Mesa Place and Airway Road, San Ysidro: Significant community support exists for this project as this is a dangerous stretch of road without a sidewalk which creates a hazard for students walking to school. Completion of this project would provide important linkage in a highly pedestrian-oriented community.
Drainage Improvements at Airway Road and LaMedia Road & Widening of La Media Road between Airway Road and Siempre VivaRoad, Otay Mesa: Will improve an existing capacity-impeding condition on a major commercial truck route. Any measurable rainfall leads to significant and persistent flooding. The entire area suffers from chronic congestion of commercial and private vehicles. Improvements to the Otay Truck Route adds to the economic growth of our region and makes the Otay Mesa area more competitive with other bi-national regions. The award for the design phase 4 for the Otay Truck Route will be considered byCouncil in early 2012. These funds should be reallocated to La Media Road and Airway Road improvements.
Dedication of Open Space Lands: Seek state legislation to continue the City-owned open space dedication process, similar to SB373 in 2007.
HarborDrive Freeway Access Improvement Project: This project provides direct truck access away from the neighboring communities to the interregional freeway system at Interstate 5 and Interstate15. It will reduce truck traffic on neighboring streets and reduce impacts on the surrounding communities. There are two proposals that would accomplish these goals:
Harbor Drive at 32nd Street: This project proposes agrade-separated structure to improve truck access to the freeway system by reducing railway conflicts and traffic congestion. The 32nd Street grade separation improvement will create additional benefits by providing a direct connection to the freeway system. This alternative proposes to construct an elevated structure over the freight, rail/trolley lines and the heavily congested 32nd/WabashBlvd/Norman Scott Rd intersection by extending 1-15 to Harbor Drive. The profile of Harbor Drive would be raised to connect to the 1-15 structure. In addition, a new bridge would be constructed at Vesta Street over Harbor Drive, connecting both sides of the Naval Base. The current estimated cost of this alternative is $170 million. This project received $50.665 million in TCIF funding (State of CA Prop 1B $2 billion Trade Corridor Improvement Fund),$800,000 in DOT funding, leaving $66.5million unfunded.
Harbor Drive Single Lane Connector: An alternative to the above project is constructing a single-lane connector from southbound Harbor Drive to I-15 and from I-15 to northbound Harbor Drive. This alternative would also include a new bridge at Vesta Street overHarbor Drive, connecting both sides of the Naval Base. The current estimated cost of this alternative is $75 million.
Funding of Phases II and III of the San Ysidro Port of Entry Modernization, San Ysidro: Will complete funding for expanded vehicle and pedestrian border crossing. Border wait times have been shown to have a direct economic impact on our region. This project will add northbound capacity and make the crossing more efficient to reduce average wait times.
Funding of Otay Mesa Port of EntryModernization, Otay Mesa: Will complete funding for expanded vehicle, commercial vehicle, and pedestrian border crossing. Making the crossing more efficient for commercial vehicles adds to the economic growth of our region and makes the Otay Mesa area more competitive with other bi-national regions.
New Intermodal Transit Center at San Ysidro Trolley Station, San Ysidro: Will provide smart-growth infrastructure by bringing regional transit routes together in one hub. The San Ysidro Trolley Station is the most used transit station in the system, yet is located in a very congested and tight space. A multi-modal facility will make the area more efficient and improve mobility at the international border.
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