Diamond Street is part of the Slow Streets pilot program. PHOTO BY DAVE SCHWAB

Opponents of the City’s Slow Streets Program closing off Diamond Street to motorized travel from Mission Boulevard to Haines Street in Pacific Beach are calling it a failed experiment and clamoring for it to end.Supporters, however, claim slow streets have succeeded in freeing up space for non-motorized travel, insisting the need for alternative modes of travel in the beach community has never been greater.“The Diamond Street Slow Street is still up,” said Anna Vacchi Hill, the City’s acting communications program coordinator. “We are currently evaluating the means and timing to convert it to something more permanent, but in a different form. There are no other specifics at this time.”

Introduced by former Mayor Kevin Faulconer following the closure of the PB boardwalk during the pandemic, slow streets were initiated to encourage walking, biking, skating, and other non-motorized transportation. The initiative was intended to create safe shared spaces allowing residents to get around their neighborhoods for essential travel while maintaining physical distancing.

However, now that the PB boardwalk has long since been reopened, slow streets opponents are once again calling for the pilot program to be discontinued.

“The City has chosen the absolute worst neighborhood here in Pacific Beach to try to create a permanent road closure on Diamond Street, and they are doing this with full knowledge that this closure will be at the expense of Missouri Street residents and homeowners who are now taking the brunt of Diamond Street traffic,” argued neighbor Cynthia Van Voorhis.“Our population density is more than twice the City’s average, and we are a worldwide tourist destination. We will never escape the cars that will continue to increase. What we need is an effective comprehensive plan incorporating intelligent infrastructure to mitigate driving and road hazards,” Van Voorhis said.

Slow streets supporters, like neighbor Richard Walwood, maintain the program benefits the community and should be extended. Walwood said he is “shocked” by the vehement opposition to slow streets, believing it is an overreaction and often random, with criticism frequently coming from people outside the neighborhood.

“All you have to do is drive an extra block, go up one street or down one street (to circumvent the road closure),” Walwood said. “How is that such a burden? Most people just don’t understand these urban planning initiatives. And some of this opposition is running concurrently with pandemic fever. Some are feeling like their rights are being trampled and that they’re being told what to do. To me, it makes perfect sense in terms of the bigger picture: creating a better traffic flow for PB.”

Jessica and Mike Moore count themselves among the strident opposition to slow streets.

“I and many other residents are frustrated by the continued closure of Diamond,” said Jessica Moore. “It has interrupted the natural flow of traffic in Pacific Beach causing more traffic on side streets for the few people who do use the Diamond street for walking and biking.

“The roadblocks continue to be a hazard for those vehicles that do need to access the residences on Diamond, causing vehicles to zig-zag down the street and avoid pedestrians,” she said. “I have personally seen several near-accidents. It’s only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt.”

“For most people, walking, running, or biking is done on the boardwalk or other places with views,” said Mike Moore. “This was pushed through with little or no input from the community. They (City) never actually asked anyone that lives around here.”

PB business owner and resident Kristen Victor said opponents of slow streets are misunderstanding what the program is all about.

“When creating community, it is critically important to be inclusive to all,” she said. “Streets are a commonality we all share as bike riders, walkers, skaters, scooters, and cars. In communities such as Pacific Beach, where our walkable neighborhoods serve all people, we must see beyond the ownership of private property and share the public land with all.

“Diamond Street has proven to serve many demographics of the population, increasing Pacific Beach’s assets and creating safe streets for many of us who choose to navigate around our neighborhood in alternative modes of mobility,” continued Victor. “Diamond as a safe street provides opportunities for community wellness, community safety, community engagement, community building, and zero-carbon footprint to support our City of San Diego Climate Action Plan and the Pacific Beach Eco District goals. Diamond Street has demonstrated itself as the successful integration of sharing the road for all people.”

Katie Matchett, president of nonprofit beautifulPB, agreed with Victor.

“As far as why a slow streets program is valuable generally, we know that Pacific Beach has some of the worst traffic safety in the City,” she said. “We consistently hear from the community that they would like to prioritize traffic safety and minimize speeding, and a slow street is one way to do that.”

Undaunted, detractors of slow streets are vowing to press on with efforts to have it discontinued. Toward that end, a petition drive at thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/649/410/711/ has been started requesting that “The City of San Diego should end the Pacific Beach Shared-Street Experiment.” That petition currently has 109 supporters with a stated goal of 140 signatures.