Progress made on clean, green La Jolla

By Sherry Nooravi

There is good news for those of you who share a vision of a clean, green and safe La Jolla - work will soon start on the Torrey Pines Road (TPR) project.

This news benefits us all, from the local pedestrians who tentatively cross the road as cars speed by at 50-60 mph to residents and merchants who have noticed the weeds and broken fences and the bicyclists who narrowly ride parallel to the cars hoping they won’t get hit. It will also benefit the greater San Diego area since La Jolla’s beaches, restaurants and shops are premier visitor destinations.

This project was a case of local activism at work. Your calls and e-mails to Councilmember Sherri Lightner’s office resulted in her support. She heard our voices and recommended TPR project as the first priority for federal stimulus funds (which was approved). She may also attempt to redirect funds from other less urgent projects.

Long-term dedication of community leaders

TPR improvement has been a long time coming. The TPR Committee chaired by architect Robert Thiele and assisted by city traffic engineers partnered with all of the community groups over the course of several years. Everyone who contributed to this project should be commended for his/her time and dedication to improving our city.

Though my husband and I are newcomers to La Jolla, we feel a sense of pride every time a part of the city improves. This goes from the beautification of Bird Rock to the new children’s playground at The Shores to a new restaurant that opens up in the Village. We view the city holistically as One La Jolla and look forward to contributing the way many residents have to make it better for this and the next generation.

The immediate next steps of this project will include the installation of transverse striping and V-Calm machines to slow down the speeding traffic closer to the posted 35 mph speed limit. The city is currently hiring consultants and assigning staff for the design, which will include environmental impact reports, environmental processing and other plan elements.

Community discussion will begin with the La Jolla Traffic and Transportation Board. It will then go through the other community groups for input and approval.

For updates on this project, news of upcoming community meetings or to share your feedback/recommendations, e-mail

torreypinessafety@gmail.com

.