City officials are retaining a consultant to help the city find further ways to calm speeding traffic around the city’s newest school campus, Double Peak K-8.
“Hearing increased community concern over traffic speeds around the school and during times when children are using sidewalks, the city will retain a specialized consulting firm to evaluate innovative opportunities to address pedestrian mobility and safety issues,” City spokeswoman Sarah MacDonald said.
MacDonald said the city is in the process of issuing a request for proposals for firms to work with the city, school district and community on solutions to the traffic issue. The city expects the process to be completed sometime later this year.
Double Peak, which opened its doors in 2016, sits just below the crest of San Elijo Road, which cars use as a shortcut to Carlsbad and Encinitas and also to get to nearby Cal State San Marcos.
Parents and nearby residents have long complained about the unsafe conditions, which imperil students who walk to the campus from neighborhoods in San Elijo Hills. One group unsuccessfully tried to thwart the school’s construction based partly on these safety concerns.
The city and San Marcos Unified School District have taken steps over the past two years to slow down traffic approaching the school. In addition to the standard 25-mile-per-hour speed limit in the immediate vicinity of the school, the city lowered the speed limit on the northbound approach of San Elijo Road from 50 to 45 miles per hour.
The city also installed a new traffic signal control at the school’s driveway, a high-visibility crosswalk, speed reduction bars along the downhill approach to the school, as well as radar speed feedback signs in an effort to discourage speeding.
The city is also in the process of installing new signs with arrows and raised pavement to alert drivers of the school and curve in the road.
“By partnering with the community and school district to educate parents, students and drivers along with enhanced engineering and enforcement, the city will continue working to ensure feedback provided about traffic safety issues in the area will be considered in the adoption of any new recommended solutions,” MacDonald said.
1 comment
Being an original resident of San Elijo, I have always been concerned regarding the speeding traffic issues associated with through traffic on Twin Oaks and San Elijo roads.
Establishing round-a-bouts on the North side of Twin Oaks prior to School and south side on San Elijo Rd. in two locations (Questhaven/Achoolhouse.
This would slow traffic, eliminate backed up traffic stopped at traffic lights and allow traffic to slowly move along!
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