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BUSD solicits bids to improve Bonsall ES traffic flow

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

The Bonsall Unified School District is seeking bids to construct the operational traffic improvements around Bonsall Elementary School.

The BUSD board voted 5-0 March 16 to authorize the advertisement for bids to construct the improvements specified in the operational plan.

“That’s to take a look at the parking and the traffic around the elementary school,” said BUSD Superintendent Joseph Clevenger.

In October 2021, the BUSD board approved an agreement with AlphaStudio Design Group to develop studies for improving traffic flow at Bonsall Elementary School. The Jan. 19 BUSD board meeting included a presentation by AlphaStudio principal architect Paul Gallegos on the operational plan. The plan focuses on traffic flow on Old River Road and Camino Del Rey.

“This is all about being proactive and getting in front of safety concerns as we anticipate the increasing traffic flow,” Clevenger said.

The traffic flow optimization takes into account the Rio Estrella development, which was called Golf Green Estates when the subdivision map for 94 residential lots was approved, and the future Bonsall Community Park. Because a county park will be involved, the school district is working with the county’s Department of Parks and Recreation as well as the county’s Department of Public Works and the office of County Supervisor Jim Desmond.

”We continue to partner with the county, Supervisor Desmond’s office, and making sure we are prepared as possible when it comes to keeping kids safe,” Clevenger said.

AlphaStudio Design Group conducted field work comprised of visual observations to document the existing pickup and drop-off traffic congestion conditions, compiled and analyzed the findings to determine deficiencies in the current traffic flows, held information gathering meetings with BUSD staff and outside agencies, identified potential revisions to automobile and pedestrian traffic patterns and drive improvements, provided a preliminary construction cost estimate, and developed a report summarizing all findings and recommendations.

The plan presented Jan. 19 includes a vehicle entry left turn and a vehicle entry right turn on Old River Road, a future traffic circle at Old River Road and Camino Del Rey, a fire access lane to the Bonsall Community Center, a pedestrian crosswalk, a vehicle traffic flow dual lane for loading and passing, a drop-off and pickup zone, a bollard barrier on each side of the drive, a vehicular gate 20 feet from Camino Del Rey, a signalized intersection at Calle de las Brisas which will be optimized at drop-off and pickup times, and a vehicle exit from Calle de las Brisas to Camino Del Rey.

Clevenger noted that the triangle intersection is near the elementary school as is a lane merge. “We’re just trying to mitigate that,” he said.

The estimated cost of the improvements is $75,000. A subsequent BUSD board action will award the contract to the low responsive bidder, and the school district plans to have the work performed during summer break this year.

 

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