FCPG recommends road improvements

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

The Fallbrook Community Planning Group provided a list of recommended road improvements which will be forwarded to the county's Department of Public Works.

The 12-0 planning group voted on July 21, with Tom Harrington and Kim Murphy absent and Stephani Baxter recusing herself due to property ownership by one of streets recommended for improvement, proposed improvements which include road resurfacing and other repair, turn lanes, bicycle lanes, and sidewalks.

The planning group's Circulation Committee did not have a quorum when that committee discussed the desired road improvements, so the recommendation was not official. However, the planning group supported all of the roads the committee consensus desired while adding additional roads.

Approximately 30% of Fallbrook's roads are private roads and not under the jurisdiction of the county, but the planning group recommended that the county look into pothole repairs of Rocky Crest Road. "This is a private road that has basically fallen into public use," said Circulation Committee Chair Roy Moosa.

The planning group also recommended pothole and cracking repairs to Main Avenue and South Mission Road.

Due to the backup of eastbound East Mission Road motorists turning onto Interstate 15 and Old Highway 395, the planning group recommended increasing the left turn lane length. Left turn lanes for side roads along East Mission Road were also recommended. Left turn lanes from Reche Road to Potter Junior High School and Live Oak Elementary School were also part of the list. A right turn lane was recommended for Stage Coach Lane at Reche Road. The planning group seeks a second left turn lane at the intersection of Main Avenue and Ammunition Road.

The planning group would like to have the turn at Via Monserate and Mission Road reconstructed so that it isn't as sharp a turn. Although no specific improvements were recommended, the planning group desires the intersection of Stage Coach Lane and Morro Road to be reviewed for safety improvements. The requests also include a red curb prohibiting parking on Alvarado Street so that right turns will be safer.

Bulbouts were recommended for Main Avenue at Elder Street and at Ivy Street, and the planning group also asked the county to consider Main Avenue bulbouts at Hawthorne Street.

The planning group recommended bicycle lanes on Reche Road, South Mission Road, and Olive Hill Road.

Sidewalks were recommended for Reche Road by Potter Junior High School and Live Oak Elementary School, for South Mission Road between Fig Street and Elder Street, and for East Mission Road between Main Avenue and Brandon Road. Crosswalks were recommended by the schools, on Main Avenue, and at Brandon Road and East Mission Road.

Drainage improvements to address flooding have been recommended for the intersection of East Mission Road and Brandon Road and for the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and Hawthorne Street.

In August 2020, the Board of Supervisors approved the county's fiscal year 2020-21 budget and included $5.1 million for traffic signals at six intersections throughout the county including the intersection of South Mission Road and Green Canyon Road and the intersection of East Mission Road and Santa Margarita Drive.

A May 19 Board of Supervisors action authorized the advertisement for bid and subsequent award of a construction contract for the signal at South Mission Road and Green Canyon Road. The design for the signal at East Mission Road and Santa Margarita Drive is complicated by three driveways which access East Mission Road in the vicinity of that intersection. The planning group's list of desired improvements included both signals.

Until the traffic signal at South Mission Road and Green Canyon Road is operational, the planning group desires a flashing light at that intersection. A flashing light was also recommended for Elder Street by Mission Road.