A subcommittee of the Pacific Beach Community Planning Committee (PBCPC), created to examine local residents’ proposals to calm the traffic along Riviera Drive, met on Tuesday, Feb. 13, to find a workable solution before presenting it to District 2 City Councilmen Kevin Faulconer for help with city approval.
“I want to kind of roll up our sleeves, if you will, and figure out a solution,” said PBCPC Chair Mark Mitchell. “What is important is to get the right plan for Riviera Drive.”
Riviera Drive residents in attendance spoke of their concerns about speeding along their street, even citing incidents where speeding vehicles have taken off the side mirror of cars parked along the northbound side of the street.
Several rough plans were drawn up at previous meetings. The most recent included two speed tables or speed bumps, two stop signs, five drainage channels and a cross walk. It also proposed turning Graham Street into a one-way street heading east.
Each intersection along Riviera Drive was discussed in an attempt to determine which traffic calming measure would be most appropriate.
Gary Pence, associate traffic engineer for the city, was in attendance to give input on previous traffic studies in the area and to give an idea of what the city would likely approve.
Pence explained that he could only speak on issues regarding stop signs and speed bump-type calming measures. In order to evaluate the need for drainage channels ” or dips ” the subcommittee would have to meet with a representative from the city’s Street Division who deals with drainage issues.
Residents plan to meet with a Street Division representative at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15 on the 3900 block of Riviera Drive, between Fortuna and Roosevelt Avenues to discuss possible drainage channel options.
Jeffrey Carle, deputy chief of operations for the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, Sgt. Vic Colvin and Capt. Boyd Long with the San Diego Police Department were also in attendance to give input.
According to Carle, the fire department does not support the insertion of speed bump type measures, especially in a designated thoroughfare such as Riviera Drive, due to the fact that they slow down response times.
Carle said Station 21’s response time is more than five minutes for the majority of its calls, when emergency response times should be within four to six minutes.
However, the fire department may support a speed lump. A speed lump is similar to a speed bump but it has two cutouts the width of engine tires made specifically to allow Fire engines to drive over the area without having to slow down.
In the end, the subcommittee decided to request possible drainage channels at La Cima Drive, La Playa Avenue and between Roosevelt Avenue and Graham Street, along with recommending a stop sign and possible pop-out extended sidewalk to assist pedestrians when crossing the street at Moorland Drive and a speed lump between La Cima and La Mancha Drives. The final proposal also includes making Graham Street a one-way eastbound street.
The proposal will go to the PBCPC at their monthly meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 6:30 p.m. at the Taylor Library, 4275 Cass Street, for approval. Once the proposal is approved by the PBCPC the committee will meet with Faulconer to discuss getting city approval.