Supervisors support Hamilton/Gum Tree all-way stop

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors gave support to an all-way stop at the intersection of Gum Tree Lane and Hamilton Lane.

A 5-0 board Oct. 6 approved the first reading and introduction of the ordinance for an all-way stop. The second reading and adoption is scheduled for Oct. 20, and if the all-way stop is approved that day it would become enforceable Nov. 19 although the county's Department of Public Works can install signage earlier.

On March 12, the county's Traffic Advisory Committee reviewed Gum Tree Lane to recertify radar enforcement for the street's 35 mph speed limit west of Hamilton Lane and to review whether a speed limit should be enacted east of Hamilton Lane. The TAC unanimously recommended recertifying the 35 mph speed limit from Stage Coach Lane to Hamilton Lane and to establish a 35 mph speed limit between Hamilton Lane and Live Oak Park Road.

The TAC made findings of driveways along the street and pedestrian presence to allow the speed limit to be lowered by an additional 5 mph from the 85th percentile speed. The Board of Supervisors ratified the 35 mph speed limit for all of Gum Tree Lane with a first reading and introduction June 30 and a second reading and adoption July 14. The TAC motion approved March 12 did not include an all-way stop control at Gum Tree Lane and Hamilton Lane, but DPW agreed to review the intersection to determine if an all-way stop was warranted.

Gum Tree Lane is a striped two-lane local roadway with a travel width ranging from 24 to 30 feet and a road bed width ranging from 26 to 30 feet. The road has a double yellow centerline which prohibits passing. The mobility element of the county's general plan classifies Gum Tree Lane as a Light Collector between Stage Coach Lane and Hamilton Lane, and the road is not classified on the mobility element from Hamilton Lane to Live Oak Park Road.

Hamilton Lane is also a striped two-lane local roadway with a no passing centerline. The travel width and roadbed width both range from 24 to 26 feet. A stop sign for southbound traffic at Gum Tree Lane requires motorists to yield to through traffic. Hamilton Lane has Light Collector classification in the mobility element.

An April 6, 2021, traffic survey at the intersection counted 908 eastbound, 593 westbound, and 484 southbound vehicles at the intersection that day. No collisions were reported at the intersection for the 36-month period between Dec. 1, 2017, and Nov. 30, 2020.

Although the Gum Tree Lane speed limit is 35 mph the prevailing speed is 45 mph, and at that speed the public road standard minimum sight distance is 450 feet. Hamilton Lane motorists have a sight distance of 339 feet looking towards the east and 327 feet looking west. That caused DPW to recommend the all-way stop control.