[SDCBC] 56 bike path report

Mon Oct 1 01:38:35 EDT 2007

A similar situation to the Carmel Mountain Road bike crossing design
occurred in Rancho Santa Fe about 10 years ago, along El Camino del Norte.
It, too, was paved over a river (Escondido Creek) that was "dry" for most of
the year.  When it rained, riders (and sometimes cars -- high riding pickups
and those new-fangled SUVs generally could make it across) were diverted to
cross the existing bridge on Rancho Santa Fe Road over Escondido Creek near
where it intersects with Encinitas Blvd and Manchester.  Or you, as a
cyclist, could take your chances (or sometimes an obliging truck would carry
you and your bike over the water -- local drivers were much friendlier
towards bikes back then.)  It was a long hilly way around if you found out
too late that the El Camino del Norte route was impassible at the "creek."

Then in '97 and '98 we had two heavy El Nino years, and in the second year a
security patrol vehicle tried to cross the water (at night, I believe) got
washed downstream and the driver had to be rescued (I saw the vehicle the
next morning hanging in the brush downstream lodged against a tree.)  That
incident was sufficient to get a bridge built over the "creek" on El Camino
del Norte for ALL vehicles within about a year.  I guess someone had to sue,
be hurt or in serious danger before the problem got fixed for everyone -
there hasn't been a problem for any legitimate road user to my knowledge
since the bridge went in.

************

This silting, in my opinion, is also what makes the currently proposed I-5
underpass option for the SR-56 path to connect to Sorrento Valley Road
Multi-Use Path completely untenable.  Imagine if "they" (that's taxpayer
money) spent the estimated $1.8M for a bike/ped underpass, but that it was
completely filled with sediment for 2 or so years at a time (the actual
situation that area is in now).  What a waste!  It should be a matter of
public record how few times the delta has been "desilted" in the past decade
if you want a realistic idea of how often the area is dredged (I recall just
three times in the past 10 years, and one of those was for the Torrey
Pines/Camino Del Mar bridge reconstruction.)  

We "could" construct a successful underpass to connect the SVR path to the
SR-56 path if it were located about 1/2 mile further south (and consequently
considerably uphill from the Carmel Valley "creek") where the I-5 is already
built upon a high embankment (making it possible for the underpass to be
nearly level with the path on both sides) that would not be in danger of
flooding at any time of year or if the delta silted up.  

The cost of this option, as I recall from discussion at an earlier SDCBC
board meeting, was about that of what is being currently discussed for a
bike/ped overpass further north today.  Given the rather high amount of
biker and runner traffic we encountered on the SR-56 path this morning near
El Camino Real, I believe that this would make the underpass unlikely to be
used by vagrants, and a wide enough path for access by patrol vehicles would
pretty much guarantee that the problem could be dealt with as needed.  The
"high ground" underpass would also be a better commuter connector by
shortening the route east- to/from-south by at least 1/2 mile, probably
more, especially as there is no "destination" at any location under
discussion for the intersection.  It certainly would not add any more
distance or inconvenience for those traveling north from the paths'
intersection.

**********

The SR-56 path needs the serious attention and work that was promised when
the SR-56 design was passed by San Diego taxpayers!  Citizens are already
getting hurt and killed (two weeks after the SR-56 path opened an errant
driver left the freeway, crossed over and I believe through a chain-link
fence and killed a cyclist on the new path.)  The shortcuts taken to
"finish" the SR-56 project (I believe mandated by a few politicians that
needed it opened to motorized traffic by a certain date to satisfy a public
promise -- there certainly was a credibility issue at stake at the time)
have compromised the safety of the public-at-large at several points along
the path today.

Maybe it's time for a few well thought out op-ed pieces in the local papers
by concerned citizens...

Just my rant, count me frustrated with the situation,
Tony

  _____  

From: sdcbc-bounces at bikesandiego.org [mailto:sdcbc-bounces at bikesandiego.org]
On Behalf Of Kathy Keehan
Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2007 6:20 PM
To: 'Danette Hoffert'; 'Gene Carman'
Cc: sdcbc at bikesandiego.org
Subject: Re: [SDCBC] 56 bike path report

It's actually not the community's problem. If it was, it would be fixed by
now. :-)

My understanding is that the City of San Diego is responsible for the
sedimentation ponds further down the creek, which are now full and need
dredged (or some other maintenance activity - I'm not exactly sure.) The
blockage further down the creek is what is causing the water to back up over
the path. 

I'll forward the email to Brad Jacobson, the person in charge of this
project at the City, to see what the status is.

Kathy

From: sdcbc-bounces at bikesandiego.org [mailto:sdcbc-bounces at bikesandiego.org]
On Behalf Of Danette Hoffert
Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2007 6:05 PM
To: Gene Carman
Cc: sdcbc at bikesandiego.org
Subject: Re: [SDCBC] 56 bike path report

That stretch is located in a home development with a gulf course.  They are
responsible for this water problem on a public bike trail, yet no one has
enforced it.  It has been in this state for over two years and in winter
when we have any rain, it is a river with algae underneath. Kind of like
snow with ice underneath if you are from snow country.  It is about time
that someone makes the gulf course/homeowners correct this problem. 

BTW, I fell there last year as well as my husband.  Very slick.  

Danette 

On 9/30/07, Gene Carman <gcarman at san.rr.com> wrote: 

On my latest trek down the 56 bike path the other day, I noticed that
a steady small stream is crossing the weir.  There has been no more 
than about 2 feet of wet stuff for the past week, but the steady
state is causing the algae to grow, which will make for a slick
surface.  The 2 foot wide stream BTW is the narrow portion, it is
much wider, closer to the slimy source.  (that has got to be some 
sort of mosquito massive breeding ground)

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