Streetview image of Morena crossing under I-8

Bike markings coming to Morena Blvd at the Interstate 8 crossing

Morena Blvd striping plans 2019

New bike striping plans and signage for bike riders will be implemented on Morena Boulevard where it crosses Interstate 8 in the next few months. This is an exciting moment in time when Caltrans takes the opportunity to implement safe street markings on state-controlled interchanges that can provide additional guidance, safety, and comfort for people riding bikes.

Streetview image of Morena crossing under I-8These Morena Blvd stripings were triggered when BikeSD Board President Nicole Burgess rode through the area and sent a tweet to Caltrans more than one year ago. She requested @CaltransSD provide safer connections through this corridor which would connect to the City’s efforts that implemented bike lanes and facility improvements on the north end of the corridor. Her request has been granted.

Caltrans Pedestrian and Bicycle Committee has discussed this project at the last two meetings and attached are the new striping plans and signage that will be implemented. BikeSD is glad to see that Caltrans is taking the initiative to provide better facilities throughout their jurisdiction. We appreciate collaborative efforts by Caltrans as they engaged and worked with the bike community to get the best improvements that can be made with paint. Obviously, there are better ways to improve the corridor but not without lots of money to tie up the interchanges (which is not happening anytime soon).

The plans shown above (see PDF for high-resolution drawings) are quite detailed. Overall BikeSD is supportive of these improvements. One concern that BikeSD and other bike advocates suggested was to add "Green Dashed Paint Markings through the Intersection” per NACTO guidelines. This was a consistent request by many people who ride bikes, but unfortunately the Operations Team at Caltrans is not willing to do so. We've inquired to understand what prevents Caltrans from implementing these types of paint markings and will keep our members posted on Caltrans response.

Regardless, we're looking forward to better striping through this area and thank Caltrans for their efforts. As the improvements are made in the next few months, we hope that you appreciate the new facility markings. Feel free to send a tweet or email to @CaltransSD thanking them for the new improvements and any concerns you may observe as a bike rider.

Support BikeSD's advocacy by becoming a member

Morena Boulevard Station Study calls for improvements along Morena Boulevard

full
The Morena Boulevard project area highlighted in yellow. Source

The Mid-Coast Light Rail Trolley is one of the transit projects proposed by SANDAG in their 2050 Regional Transportation Plan and is currently going through the planning and design phase:

The Mid-Coast Corridor Transit Project will extend Trolley service from Santa Fe Depot in Downtown San Diego to the University City community, serving major activity centers such as Old Town, the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), and Westfield UTC.

The project proposes station stops at Tecolote Road, Clairemont Drive, Balboa Avenue, Nobel Drive, Pepper Canyon, Voight Drive, Executive Drive, and Terminus Station.

The Morena Boulevard Station Study covered the area that would include the stops at Tecolote Road (in the Linda Vista community) and Clairemont Drive (in the Clairemont community).

Included within the project's study scope was recommendations to improve mobility: bicycling and walking and removing focus from designing only for cars and instead designing for people.

Source: Morena Station Study documents
Source: Morena Boulevard Station Study documents

The mobility/transportation components broke Morena Boulevard into four segments: South Morena Boulevard, Tecolote Bridge, North Morena Boulevard, and Clairemont Bridge.

Image via SANDAG
One day, San Diegans will get to ride a trolley from Old Town to UCSD. Image via SANDAG

The year long community outreach process resulted in three alternatives which included good design proposals for safe and comfortable bicycling, Much thanks go out to our members Michael Muhammad (who until late last year served on the Clairemont Planning Group prior to moving to Long Beach, CA) and Kelly Cummings both of whom were instrumental in being a voice for safe and well designed bicycle facilities along Morena Boulevard as part of this process.

Below are the alternatives proposed for South Morena Boulevard. The alternatives were labelled: moderate, conservative, and aggressive.

Here is what South Morena looks like today:

South Morena Boulevard today. Very car friendly and very people unfriendly.
South Morena Boulevard today. Very car friendly and very people unfriendly.

This was a design proposed for safe bicycling on South Morena in the future.

Design proposal for Morena Blvd by KTU&A
Design proposal for Morena Blvd by KTU&A

Today Tecolote Bridge looks like this:

Tecolote Bridge today
Tecolote Bridge today

In the future, Tecolote Bridge could look like this:

Proposed design for Tecolote
Proposed design for Tecolote Bridge. Source: Morena Boulevard Station Study.

Today North Morena Boulevard looks like this:

North Morena Boulevard today.
North Morena Boulevard today. Two vehicle lanes in each direction, substandard bike lane, parking on one side and no street trees

In the future, North Morena could like this:

Proposed deisn for NOrth Morena
Proposed design for North Morena

Today Clairemont Drive at Morena Boulevard has a lot of challenges as noted in the proposed plan:

The recommended solution for the Clairemont bridge crossing plan must address the existing issues that make it difficult for pedestrians and cyclists to mix with vehicles on the freeway overpass. The proposed solutions strive to improve the overpasses by providing facilities that buffer and protect pedestrians and cyclists while maintaining efficient vehicular traffic flow. Additional improvements are also included at the East Mission Bay Drive intersection with Clairemont Drive to provide better connections to the existing trail system around East Mission Bay.

If the design solution for the centerlane cycletrack sounds a little familiar, it is not unlike what was proposed here for Balboa Avenue by Michael Sullivan.

In the future, the Clairemont Bridge could look like any one of these solutions:

test
Proposed design for Clairemont Bridge

In addition to the bike improvements to improve mobility, the focus of the study was also around increasing population density along the transit corridors. This has resulted in some vocal opposition, the subject for a future post.


Notes from Morena Boulevard Station Area Planning Study - First Meeting and Request for Your Input

This was written by District 2 resident and BikeSD members, Kelly Cummings

----

Thanks to BikeSD.org for the heads up on their events listings, I was able to attend the First Public Workshop for the Morena Boulevard Station Area Planning Study, that was scheduled for Wednesday, April 3, 2013 from 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM. The Workshop was held at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice on the campus of USD. There was a very good turn out and the meeting was well organized by KTU+A. It was informative and interactive with lots of opportunity to make suggestions and comments about the impacts on the local area.

I received a follow up email from Josie Calderon, telling me that the City of San Diego had posted the information on the web. There is a lot of good information and is worth the time to read all the .pdf's on the history and proposals for the area. If you are at all interested in having input, be aware there is a time constraint for the end of April 2013. They are looking for good input from users of the area infrastructure, biking, walking, multi-modal etc.

At our April 3rd workshop for the Morena Blvd Station Area Planning Study we went over Existing Conditions and I wanted to make you aware that the City has posted those workshop materials on its web page. Please check out the following direct links to the City's pages with the information:

www.sandiego.gov/planning/community/profiles/clairemontmesa/

www.sandiego.gov/planning/community/profiles/lindavista/

Please know that public comment on the Existing Conditions materials will close the end of April 2013 so we can move forward with alternatives development. Also, the City is adding a link to the Mobility Survey, please we ask that all community participants provide their input via the online version:

Thank you for your input,

Josie Calderon
Community Outreach Consultant under KTU+A

From the Clairemont Mesa web page (same as the Linda Vista web page)

The Morena Boulevard Station Area Planning Study will engage the community to make future community plan policy changes and physical multi modal mobility improvements in order to increase access to transit at the two programmed Mid-Coast Light Rail Transit stations at Tecolote Road and Clairemont Drive. The study will identify strategies to achieve sustainable transit rider ship for new and existing services, improve neighborhood walkability and bicycle routes, and support transit-oriented development that will provide high-quality housing, employment, and community spaces for residents of Clairemont and Linda Vista consistent with the City’s General Plan.

One of the stated goals of the study: "A multi modal mobility concept plan that works in concert with the land use and contains a prioritized non-motorized mobility and multi-modal connectivity improvements with planning level cost estimates needed at the planned and existing LRT stations as well as the surrounding areas aimed at creating an inviting and safe pedestrian, bicycle, and transit environment and facilitating traffic circulation."

The Morena Boulevard Station Planning Area is within the communities of Linda Vista and Clairemont Mesa as shown on the Station Area Boundary map (in or on the edge of SD District Two). This includes the planned Mid-Coast Light Rail Transit (LRT) stations at the intersections of Morena Boulevard with Clairemont Drive and with Tecolote Drive and the existing Green Line LRT station at Morena Boulevard and Linda Vista Road.

A view from the Clairemont Drive bridge looking south along Morena Boulevard. The proposed Trolley Station will be this side of Ingulf Street, at the light and crosswalk right where the tracks bend, and will be right up close to Morena Boulevard. photo: Kelly Cummings
A view from the Clairemont Drive bridge looking south along Morena Boulevard. The proposed Trolley Station will be this side of Ingulf Street, at the light and crosswalk right where the tracks bend, and will be right up close to Morena Boulevard. photo: Kelly Cummings
A view from the Tecolote Road bridge over Highway-5 and the train tracks. The Tecolote Trolley Station will be right here and a little under the bridge. photo: Kelly Cummings
A view from the Tecolote Road bridge over Highway-5 and the train tracks. The Tecolote Trolley Station will be right here and a little under the bridge. photo: Kelly Cummings

On Saturday April 6, 2013, community members, City staff, and the consultant team participated in a walk audit of the Study Area to:

1) foster discussion with community stakeholders about the topics of mobility and land use/urban form;

2) provide stakeholders a “walking perspective” of the study area; and

3) provide a forum where community stakeholders can identify the location of both successful areas as well as those in need of improvement. The walk is designed to allow participants to respond to questions and record their own observations.

If you would like to conduct the walk audit on your own, you can submit your comments to Michael Prinz via email at mprinz@sandiego.gov Please provide any comments by the end of April 2013.

How To Get Involved? --- There are several ways to get involved in the Morena Boulevard Planning Study:

Study Web site - This website will be updated regularly as the study progresses to provide more information on the alternatives, the analysis, and next steps.

Contact Us - All comments received will be considered in developing and analyzing the land use and transportation proposals. Email Michael Prinz at mprinz@sandiego.gov

Next up: Community Workshop #2 - Analysis (Sometime in June 2013)

----

A lot of the focus at the first meeting understandably seemed to be on what impacts the local neighborhood would have to deal with. I suggested that these stations would become a destination for citizens coming from Mission Valley, La Mesa and El Cajon and points east as well as citizens coming up from south San Diego Bay, National City, Chula Vista and such. They would want to access Mission Bay Park but would find it very difficult and dangerous crossing the Tecolote Road and Clairemont Drive bridges. If we are to share Mission Bay Park with our neighbors from other parts, we have to make it safe for families to walk, bike and skate into the park from Morena Boulevard.

Soon we'll be seeing studies for the Morena Boulevard and Balboa Avenue Trolley Station. This is another very difficult area for bicyclist and pedestrians. Give it some thought and be prepared to suggest some good fixes.