Traffic and engineering improvements are being made to Fiesta Island in the wake of a horrific accident a month ago during which nearly two dozen cyclists were plowed into by a wrong-way driver suspected of driving under the influence of drugs. The accident left several of the bikers injured, one critically.
“Several improvements are being made to Fiesta Island, including additional 25 mph signs, directional white arrows at the entrance [one in each direction], one-way directional arrows around the island, wrong-way signs around the island and [putting in] no left-turn signs and one-way-only signs at the shortcut to the youth camp,” said Craig Gustafson, press aide to Mayor Kevin Faulconer. “In addition, we will trim back the bushes by the youth-camp shortcut and replace existing delineators with new, bright-orange ones. We are also adding bike sharrows and ‘share the road’ signs.
Gustafson said the total number of signs to be added is being reviewed by city staff.
“All of these improvements can go in relatively soon without requests for additional funding,” Gustafson said. “We expect everything to be installed by mid-October.”
District 2 City Councilman Ed Harris also weighed in on the Fiesta Island improvements.
“Fiesta Island is a popular recreation destination in San Diego, and it’s important that cyclists, pedestrians and even cars feel safe on the roads there,” he said. “These signage additions and modifications are welcome improvements to ensure the safety of folks coming out to enjoy Fiesta Island.”
Stacy McKenzie, district manager for the Mission Bay Park Developed Regional Parks Division, said a recent study was done of the impacted area.
“We assessed Fiesta Island to see what more could be done to detour wrong-way drivers,” she said, noting two additional directional white arrows will be added at Fiesta Island’s entrance.
Theresa Lynn Owens, 49, has pleaded not guilty to felony charges of driving under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of methamphetamine. She recently was ordered held on $300,000 bail.
Deputy District Attorney Jessica Coto said Owens drove the wrong way on a one-way road about 6:30 p.m., plowing into the group of 16 to 20 cyclists while traveling about 30 to 35 miles per hour, hitting 10 of the riders head-on as they were going around a blind curve.
Witnesses said Owens got out of her car and appeared to be under the influence, screaming and acting erratically.
She was transported to a hospital, where a bag of methamphetamine was found in a body cavity, the prosecutor said. Toxicology results are pending.
Fiesta Island has a 5-mile-per-hour zone on the east side of the island that lures many recreational water-sports enthusiasts.