May’s sensible solution
I was very pleased to hear that Dana May is running for the District 1 seat on the University Community Planning Group. I’m sure there are other south University City residents like me who have wished for people on the committee who are more representative of the views of the majority of us. The construction of the Regents Road Bridge is way overdue, and Dana’s position in favor of the Bridge gives us the opportunity to express our support for this sensible solution to University City traffic and safety problems.
It will be a pleasure to cast my vote for him on March 14, and I hope my fellow residents of south University City do the same. The current composition of the UCPG committee is slanted in opposition to the Bridge, has been for years, and unfairly represents to the City of San Diego Planning Department an opposition to this part of the Community Plan that is not at all the sense of the community.
I wish Dana success in the election and hope there are more candidates like him in the future for additional seats on the UCPG.
Judy Brinner
University City

Another vote for Dana May

How very exciting to have Dana May as a candidate for the Residential seat in District 1 of the UCPG. Dana is a wonderful man of high caliber, courteous and very knowledgeable about land use in San Diego. His presence on the Executive Committee will provide some balance, a quality sorely lacking at the present time. Because of the extreme anti-bridge bias of this committee, so many residents of University City feel they are not represented properly and are disgruntled with the fact that the Regents Road Bridge has not yet been built.
Dana May believes the construction of the Regents Road Bridge before any work is done on Genesee is the only commonsense answer to our traffic problems. His belief concurs with thousands in this community who have been waiting for many decades for the city of San Diego to fulfill its duty to build this bridge and provide our entire community with another street that would allow our residents to move about more efficiently in our area without having to get on a freeway. Providing another option for north/south travel would also aid emergency vehicles on their way to hospitals to our north. And certainly we should not overlook the benefit of having another escape route should another Cedar Fire descend on us. With no parallel roads to either Genesee or Governor, this is our only course of action.
Please vote for Dana May on March 14!
Miriam Brown
University City

Enough talking already

It is no exaggeration to observe that millions of words have been written or spoken about the pros and cons of building the Regents Bridge, so to all my UC neighbors I say, enough already. It is time for the residents of the west end to end their petulant, self-serving opposition to the bridge and share with the rest of us the burdens of urban growth and population density. Sure, we’d all like to have quiet, uncrowded streets, fewer cars and trucks, and be spared the air pollution that comes with heavy traffic loads. Alas, for most of us, with the development of the north end of University City, those days are gone forever. For better or worse, we have joined the big leagues of urban traffic overload and congestion.
The overworked and worn-out proposals to relieve the congestion on the Genesee corridor are at best impractical and at worst unthinkable. A lane reversal scheme simply will not work, and the grade split proposal at the Genesee and Governor intersection is not only unfeasible but would entail a nightmarish construction scenario. The widening of Genesee would destroy the median strip and the precious landscaping, requiring thousands of square feet of retaining walls and impact traffic flow for two years. Worse yet, none of these would be a permanent solution. Construction of the Regents Bridge is the only measure that will provide long-term relief. It has been planned, budgeted and approved for nearly 40 years and further delay is both irresponsible and inexcusable. Clearly, its time has come.
We have spoken ad nauseam about the crisis conditions on the Genesee corridor. The case about the public safety implications of a major rush-hour emergency or evacuation scenario has been made and validated repeatedly and survives any objective analysis. From any realistic point of view, this is more than just a mere matter of inconvenience for commuters or a small segment of the city’s population who wish to preserve the tranquility of their neighborhood.
Let’s stop talking about this. West end residents who are obstructing the Regents Bridge need to recognize that they have no God-given exemption from the tribulations of urban growth. They need to do the fair and responsible thing, get out of the way, and let the work begin.
Joseph J. Andrilla
University City

Cookies provide sweet benefits

Thank you for purchasing cookies when a Girl Scout rings your doorbell or greets you at a store. Your support helps that girl, her troop, and nearly 30,000 other local Girl Scouts to fund their community service projects, activities and events.
The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the nation’s premier entrepreneurship program. As girls participate in this annual activity, they learn firsthand about teamwork, customer service, business ethics, marketing and money management. Girl Scouts develop confidence and invaluable life skills they’ll use all their lives.
Every penny of proceeds from the local cookie program stays in San Diego and Imperial counties to benefit local girls. In addition to funding troop activities, these proceeds help supply program resources, special events, volunteer training, and financial assistance for our Girl Scouts.
It’s not too late to purchase your Thin Mints and Samoas “¦ the cookie program runs until March 19. To request that a Girl Scout troop in your own community contact you, just call (877) 296-MINT or e-mail [email protected]. And thank you for assisting our local Girl Scout council to help Girls Grow Strong!

Marla Blom
President, Girl Scouts,
San Diego-Imperial Council