District: District 11 – San Diego and Imperial Counties
Contact: stephen.welborn@dot.ca.gov 619-913-9452
Andrea.villyard@sandag.org 619-203-9332
Caltrans crews closed the Interstate 805 (I-805) 43rd Street on-and off-ramps today for routine scheduled road/landscape maintenance and opened the lanes to the public for a Reconnecting Communities/Highway 2 Boulevards event offering the community a chance to walk, bike, and beautify our shared spaces on the ramps.
“Caltrans is leading the way to repair divisive infrastructure and advance equity in historically underserved areas through the Reconnecting Communities: Highways 2 Boulevards Pilot Program" said acting Caltrans District 11 Director Everett Townsend. "Our crews work every day to keep the transportation system running, and today we were able to creatively combine this maintenance closure and allow people to experience the space and reimagine their community."
SANDAG co-led the event and hosted a group bike ride to the event from Pepper Park in National City that was guided by certified instructors from the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition.
“Allowing families to bike and walk the 43rd Street ramps off I-805 gives them the opportunity to start reimagining how the SANDAG Reconnecting Communities project can transform the neighborhood,” said SANDAG and San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Nora Vargas. “It’s about breaking down barriers for underinvested communities and giving them the power to reclaim some of the space and character that was lost with freeway construction.”
Mundo Gardens, San Diego Bike Coalition and the Urban Collaborative Project CDC were also involved with hosting this family-friendly event, which included booths from public agencies and community organizations, live art demonstrations, and other engagement activities.
The locations of the event was at the I-805/43rd Street on-and off-ramps.
About SANDAG
SANDAG is the regional agency that connects people, places, and innovative ideas by implementing solutions with our unique and diverse communities. We are committed to creating a San Diego region where every person who visits, works, and lives can thrive.
SANDAG.org
About Caltrans
Caltrans’ mission is to provide a safe and reliable transportation network that serves all people and respects the environment. District 11 in San Diego and Imperial counties serves one of the country’s most geographically and culturally diverse areas, spanning the entire California-Mexico Border from the Pacific coast to Arizona and reaches north from the international border to Orange and Riverside counties.
###