Supervisors approve NC Parkway Plan coordination resolution - East Vista Way widening included

A 5-0 vote of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on September 20 approved a resolution authorizing county staff to coordinate with five other government agencies on the North County Parkway Plan and its potential projects, including the widening of East Vista Way between the Vista city limits and State Route 76.

The resolution authorizes coordination with the North County Transit District and the cities of Escondido, Oceanside, San Marcos, and Vista. A total of eight road widening or extension projects in the unincorporated areas are included.

The North County Parkway Plan was initiated in 2001 in order to identify key roadway and interchange improvements which would increase mobility and reduce congestion throughout the North County area. Staff from the County of San Diego, the California Department of Transportation, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), the North County Transit District, and eight North County cities have held meetings to review and evaluate potential projects.

SANDAG ranks projects for potential Federal funding, using a point system with criteria such as level of service and existing or proposed right of way facilities. The SANDAG criteria allows for additional points on potential projects to be undertaken in collaboration with other jurisdictions. The county’s approval of the resolution increases the competitive ranking points for possible Federal funding of the projects.

In March 2006 agency representatives reviewed and approved the North County Parkway Plan and the project screening and evaluation criteria. Since most of the roadways cross jurisdictional lines, close coordination and cooperation will be required.

The supervisors approved a Circulation Element map for its general plan update on August 2, and each potential project will conform to that Circulation Element. Each project will also be subject to a preliminary engineering report which will provide additional analysis of right of way issues and design options. Each project will be discussed in detail during its early stages of design at meetings with planning or sponsor groups, so the East Vista Way widening will go before the Bonsall Community Sponsor Group as part of the attempt to reach consensus.