District: District 11 — San Diego and Imperial Counties
Contact: Barbara Cosio Moreno
Phone: (619) 688-6670
Sacramento — Caltrans announced today that it is awarding more than $225 million for local projects designed to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries on city and county roads. Funding is provided through the federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP).
“Safety is always Caltrans’ top priority,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. “These projects will enhance systemwide safety features, including enhancing safety for people who walk and bike, and move us closer to our vision of reaching zero fatalities and serious injuries on roadways throughout the state by 2050.”
Projects approved today in San Diego and Imperial County include:
- $1.32 million in HSIP funds to improve signal hardware including lenses, back plates with retroreflective borders; install pedestrian countdown signal heads; and modify the signal phasing to implement a leading pedestrian interval at 12 signalized intersections within the city of Escondido. Total project cost of $1.47 million.
- $534,510 in HSIP funds to Install wider separated bike lanes by restriping to add eight-foot buffers; install an enhanced mid-block pedestrian crossing with curb extensions, refuge island, rectangular rapid flashing beacons & streetlights in Carlsbad between Palomar Airport Road and Camino Del Parque. Total project cost $593,900.
- $548,820 in HSIP funds to install intersection lighting, LED flashing stop signs, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) curb ramps, curb extensions, high-visibility crosswalks, and advanced school zone signs at six unsignalized intersections throughout the city of Encinitas. Total project cost $609,800.
- $1 million in HSIP funds to install traffic signal hardware and communications interconnect system upgrades to improve traffic signal timing and optimize operations at 93 signalized intersections in the city of San Diego. Total project cost $2 million.
- $1.018 million in HSIP funds to install traffic signal hardware and communication interconnect system upgrades to improve traffic signal timing and optimize operations at 101 signalized intersections in the city of San Diego. Total project cost $2.03 million.
- $852,930 in HSIP funds Improve signal hardware with back-plates with retroreflective borders, install an advance stop bar before crosswalk (Bicycle Box), and modify signal phasing to implement a Leading Pedestrian Interval (LPI) at signalized Intersections along Highland Avenue from Division Street to 30th Street (excluding 28th Street), along Plaza Boulevard from L Avenue to 8th Street and along National City Boulevard from 4th Street to 24th Street/Miles of Cars Way in the city of National City. Total project cost $947,700.
- $897,930 in HSIP funds to install activated blank-out signs for leading pedestrian intervals, pedestrian countdown timers, and high visibility crosswalks at 31 intersections in the city of San Diego. Total project cost $997,700.
- $751,608 in HSIP funds for metal beam guardrail and end-treatment upgrades at various locations throughout San Diego County. Total project cost $963,600.
- $24,9930 in HSIP funds to install traffic signal mast arm assembly, LED safety lighting, curb bulb out, median curb nose, ADA curb ramps, high visibility crosswalks, and pavement markings at the intersection of Main Street with 8th Street in Imperial County. Total project cost $277,700.
“We work closely with our San Diego and Imperial partners to find opportunities to proactively incorporate safety enhancements into all projects,” said Caltrans District Director Gustavo Dallarda. “This funding allows our region to pursue projects that can help us reimagine our bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure along the state right of way and improve the transportation network for all our communities, no matter how they chose to commute.”
A total of 282 projects from 155 local agencies will receive HSIP funds for safety enhancements that include pedestrian crossing enhancements, bike safety improvements and new traffic signals, roundabouts, turn lanes, rumble strips and guardrails. Caltrans awards these grants every other year to cities, counties and tribal governments.
Caltrans is using the Safe System approach – which emphasizes multiple layers of protection, including safer road designs – to achieve its goal of reducing to zero the number of fatalities and serious injuries on state roadways by 2050. Caltrans’ adoption of the Safe System approach builds on its ongoing work to embed safety in the state’s transportation system, and for that reason all transportation projects the department funds or oversees now must include “complete street” features that provide safe and accessible options for people walking, biking and taking transit.
More information on the program is available at Caltrans’ HSIP page, including a full list of approved projects.
For real-time traffic information, including traffic speed, lane and road closures due to construction and maintenance activities, and more, go to http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/
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