La Jolla traffic board backs new stop signs for Drury Lane

The La Jolla Traffic & Transportation Board voted unanimously to support stop signs for Drury Lane on both sides of Pearl Street at its Sept. 21 meeting.

The stop signs “should already be there,” T&T Chairman Brian Earley said. He added that there used to be stop signs on Drury Lane on either side of Pearl but it’s unknown how or why they were removed.

Earley said the T&T Board will request that a stop sign on southbound Drury Lane be placed before the sidewalk at The Comedy Store.

“That’s a blind corner,” Earley said. “The other side is much more open.”

He said the stop signs would be accompanied by a thick white line painted on the road to indicate where to stop.

Other T&T news

The La Jolla Traffic & Transportation Board meets Sept. 21 online.

(Screenshot by Elisabeth Frausto)

Traffic circle on Via Capri: The board took up discussion — but did not vote — on a traffic circle on Via Capri at Senn Way for which the landscaping is at risk of being removed.

The traffic circle was endorsed by T&T in 2007 after residents “were appalled at the traffic and the number of accidents,” said La Jolla Shores Association President Janie Emerson.

At the time, “residents didn’t want just a concrete median; they wanted it landscaped,” she said.

The city of San Diego required homeowners to maintain the landscaping and take out an indemnity policy for the circle, Emerson said. As the intersection falls within the boundaries of La Jolla Shores, the homeowners reimbursed LJSA for the policy.

As homeownership in the area turned over, the policy was dropped, Emerson said.

“The city now says that the only way [the traffic circle] can remain is to take the planting out and to make it just a solid circle,” she said.

The traffic calming provided by the landscaped circle “really is needed on this street,” Emerson said. “It is extremely dangerous.”

Resident Nancy Manno agreed, saying “the traffic circle there is absolutely wonderful.”

Ross Rudolph, a T&T member who lives near the circle, said, “I would suggest that, as a minimum, that area be taken out and replaced with serious concrete that will last.”

Earley said city engineers indicated a proposed redesign of the circle after concerns from a November 2020 discussion were forwarded to the city by T&T.

However, there is no funding for the design yet.

Emerson suggested discussing the matter with the office of San Diego City Councilman Joe LaCava, whose District 1 includes La Jolla, “to see if there are any discretionary funds that could be used for this prior to next year.”

Next meeting: The La Jolla Traffic & Transportation Board next meets at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, online or at a location to be determined. To learn more, email bearley1@san.rr.com. ◆