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Frequently
Asked Questions |
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Won't
the Regents Road bridge relieve traffic congestion on Genesee Avenue? |
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The
bridge would be a poor congestion reliever
for Genesee Avenue. As a stand-alone project, it would be insufficient
to achieve acceptable service on Genesee. The most recent traffic
study forecasts that the bridge would relieve only about 15% of traffic
on Genesee between Nobel Drive and Governor Drive. South of Governor,
the relief is a minuscule 3%. |
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Won't
the bridge soar above the canyon? How much harm could that do? |
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As
of 2003, plans for the bridge included a 600' cut-and-fill roadway
extending from the southern terminus of Regents Road into Rose Canyon.
After removing a hillside and filling a finger canyon, the bridge
itself would extend for 860', spanning the AT&SF railroad tracks. |
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Does
South University City need the bridge for emergency services? |
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South
University City receives emergency
services coverage from stations 9, 27, and 35. The bridge could
produce the worst improvement of emergency response times
via Genesee Avenue. The western half of South UC is easily accessed
from stations 9 and 27, and would not receive much benefit from the
bridge. |
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Wouldn't
the grade separation result in cars shooting out from a tunnel right
near the high school? |
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No!
The grade separation would start
about 280' south of Calgary Court and terminate at Radcliffe Lane.
Over this stretch of Genesee Avenue, the interior two lanes (one northbound,
one southbound) would gradually be drawn below grade, ultimately tunneling
beneath Governor Drive in a short 114' long underpass. The northern
end of the grade separation is over 1,900' from the UC High School
entrance at Centurion Square. At 50 mph, that distance is equivalent
to 26 seconds. |
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Wouldn't
the grade separation make it difficult for residents along Genesee
close to Governor Drive to get onto Genesee Avenue? |
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No.
Just the opposite is true - the grade separation would make it easier
for them, because the vast majority of through traffic on Genesee
would be traveling in the interior lanes. In other words, the grade
separation would "channel" through traffic into the interior
lanes. The outer lanes would be depleted of traffic, making it easier
for residents to get onto and off of Genesee! |
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I've
heard that the grade separation would shut down Genesee Avenue for
two years! Is this true? |
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No.
The chief engineering consultant has stated that, while challenging,
the grade separation project would not necessitate shutting down the
intersection and interrupting the flow of traffic. While the grade
separation would have the largest construction impacts of any of the
three structural projects under consideration, the impacts are temporary,
whereas the improvement is permanent. The Ardath Road realignment
in La Jolla had some significant impacts as well, but residents and
businesses alike are now overwhelmingly enthusiastic over the results.
We'll know more about the engineers' plans for constructing the grade
separation when the Draft EIR is released later on this summer. |
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What
would the widening of Genesee Avenue entail? |
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The
Genesee Avenue widening would eliminate the broad, landscaped median,
and restripe the road within its existing right-of-way. The only actual
"widening" that would take place would be at the short bridge
on Genesee over the Rose Canyon. |
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