Dave Schwab | Downtown News

Morgan M. Hurley | Downtown Editor

For some, the Mid-City Bus Rapid Transit Project is all about interconnectivity, but for others, it will cause lots of congestion and other problems for the Downtown area.

According to the project’s description on the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) website, two rapid transit lines will service Mid-City and the Interstate 15 corridor, with termination points Downtown along Broadway, starting in 2014. Several new stations will be built on Park Boulevard and along Broadway to service these lines and many Downtown residents and business people have strong opinions about the project.

Eric Adams, SANDAG project manager, emphasized the interconnectivity objective of the project between San Diego State University (SDSU) and Downtown at a June 10 open house, held at the Grace Lutheran Church at 3967 Park Blvd. A second meeting, hosted by the El Cajon Boulevard Business Improvement Association, was held three days later, on June 13. On June 19, SANDAG held another open house at their seventh-floor offices at 401 B St., this time to address the concerns of Downtown residents.

“You’ll have a really good rapid bus transit system that ties SDSU into Downtown San Diego via El Cajon and Park boulevards,” said Adams at the June 10 meeting, regarding the project’s outcome.

Explaining how rapid buses differ from regular Metropolitan Transit Service (MTS) buses, Adams said the rapid system will have “express, limited stops with higher-level amenities at stations offering more of a trolley-type feel.”

The $44.5 million project, scheduled to begin construction by the end of June, includes building bus-only lanes on a portion of Park Boulevard, new stations with customized shelters and “next bus arrival” signs, improved sidewalks and crosswalks, and new landscaping, street lights and traffic signals, and a fleet of new low-floor, natural gas powered buses will serve the route.

When the rapid transit project is complete it will interconnect with other freeway systems providing direct access to employment and shopping centers in North and South County. Adams characterized the Mid-City project as one “piece in the puzzle” to future long-term transit improvements, creating a seamless countywide transit network.

Adams told residents during the June 10 presentation that SANDAG’s goal was to “come back to the community before construction and present our project team, and get feedback on any concerns [residents] have about construction impacts to the neighborhood or the community at large.”

At the June 13 briefing, Gary Bosse of Simon Wong Engineering, a go-between with SANDAG and contractor West Coast General Corporation on the transit improvement project, talked about how the project will be delivered.

Noting that his company will coordinate with the City via public outreach through Katz and Associates, Bosse said, “Anything we can do to mitigate construction impacts we will absolutely do it. … We need to build this project and keep it on schedule.”

Overall plans for the transportation plan include approximately 38 minutes of travel from SDSU to Downtown, running from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Prior to the June 19 meeting, Little Italy Resident Association (LIRA) President Annie Reichman rallied LIRA members and other Core/Columbia residents to appear and address their concerns about the plan. She said 30-40 people attended the meeting. Reichman, a longstanding and active opponent of the plans to terminate bus rapid transit lines Downtown, said she feels as though resident feedback has been presented to the transportation committee as “unanimously glowing” when that is just not the case.

“For almost two years, we have provided SANDAG with valuable input and viable alternatives,” Reichman said in an email to Downtown News.

“We have focused on solutions that would not adversely affect thousands of residents who have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in their Downtown neighborhood homes,” she wrote. “Sadly, our efforts have been summarily ignored. But we shall continue to encourage collaboration with SANDAG, since millions of our tax dollars are on the line and we do not want to see them wasted.”

LIRA board member Veronica D’Annibale said she was disappointed with the June 19 open house.

“SANDAG and MTS representatives were on hand to explain charts posted throughout the room,” D’Annibale said in an email. “In answer to questions about the information presented, we received contradictory information.”

D’Annibale said residents – concerned about congestion along Broadway and in their residential neighborhoods where layovers and turnarounds are planned ­– have suggested smaller shuttles and use of the existing trolley lines one block north of Broadway as simple solutions, but they don’t feel like they are being heard.

“[SANDAG reps] could not answer simple questions about [bus] turnarounds and routes after proposed layovers on India and Kettner,” she said. “Perhaps a traffic study, which we have requested and which has been ignored, would help.”

For more information about the Mid-City Project call 877-379-0110 or visit keepsandiegomoving.com/midcityrapid/.