By Kate Callen
In response to “Pure Water construction snafu that cost the city millions is creating a ‘pure nightmare’ on one major road” — SDUT on Dec. 23:
City Hall’s record of stunning ineptitude now includes the botched construction of the Pure Water system. San Diegans expect millions in cost overruns for municipal projects. But major road closures slated for a year that stretch into three years? A timeline that’s now “indefinite”? That’s a new low.
The prolonged stress on residents stuck in traffic and businesses losing customers is unimaginable. Who is to blame? We’re told that “a consultant underestimated how vulnerable the site is to flooding.” That expert must be working remotely. Anyone familiar with the area knows how water backs up in rainstorms.
Once again, city officials hunkered down to avoid angry constituents who were kept in the dark. Here’s the kicker: The city’s Pure Water website has an “Awards and Recognition” page boasting a slew of prizes from the Public Relations Society of America for — hope you’re sitting down — excellence in communicating with the public.
The above was published in the U-T as a Letter to the Editor on Dec. 23.
Here are the opening quotes of the U-T article by David Garrick:
A flooding problem that’s inflating the price tag of San Diego’s Pure Water recycling system by many millions is also creating another problem that’s frustrating people from Mission Valley to Point Loma.
The seemingly never-ending closure of westbound Friars Road at a key choke point between Napa Street and Sea World Drive is causing major congestion during rush hour and doubling commute times for many.
Neighborhood angst across San Diego has been mostly minimal since crews broke ground three years ago on the pipelines and pump stations of the sprawling Pure Water sewage recycling system, the largest project in city history.
But the angst is now on the rise in Linda Vista, the location of the Friars Road closure, and in Old Town, Mission Valley and Point Loma — neighborhoods where commuters rely heavily on that western stretch of Friars Road.
“The city calls the project ‘Pure Water,’ but it’s becoming a pure nightmare for a neighborhood to go through,” said Robert Myers, who lives on Friars Road two blocks from the closure.
I spent 40 years in the San Diego construction business, much of that involved street work. I never saw a major road like this closed permanently, ever, three years is lunacy. Whenever a major road has to be closed for any period of time, the projects provide for what is called a “flyby.” In road construction, this can mean what looks like a real paved road around the work. It is a real road but built to lower standards as it is removed later. The flybys are in the project plans and are included in the original bid. The city needs to completely rethink the traffic control for this work.
Geoff, thanks for pointing this out. The multi-year road closure has devastated small businesses (which wasn’t mentioned in the U-T article). I recently drove to a Morena District store where I’ve shopped for decades. I couldn’t get close to it. I called the store, and they talked me through a maze of back alleys — all jammed with wayward traffic — to reach their parking lot. The store was empty. The employees looked shell-shocked.
Our city government doesn’t think about construction site traffic control or any kind of contingency planning. That’s too tedious. Such logistics are left to consultants who have no incentives to serve the public. City Hall only thinks about photo ops and PR prizes.
Awful to hear Kate! What was the store? I’d like to support them.
there must be a bike path and/or a transit center close by… yes?
Just another debacle, in the long line of debacles, that Todd Gloria presides over. And of course, city hall couldn’t care less…… I wonder why that was not mentioned in the U-T article? Hmm?
Genesee ave has been down to 1 lane in both directions in the rose canyon area causing massive congestion. Its a minefield of trucks, equipment and traffic often with closures of the freeway on and off ramps without warning.This area just went through trolly line construction lasting years then UTC remodel. The first proposed route for the pure water project was scrapped because residents threatened litigation so they rerouted and kept the victims of the new route in the dark. Not to mention all the trees being cut down. There were options to go a different route with far less impact .on the community but they chose the high impact route. Piss poor planning. Piss poor leadership. I don’t think their inept I think they simply have no regard for the massive impact it has on people
It is reassuring to see others are as frustrated as our family is. Many of our roads have been tore up and left in disarray without any construction activity FOR MONTHS! Clairemont Drive (just east of the 5) all the way to Clairemont Mesa Blvd has been under construction for almost a year with no one ever working on the street. Several miles of streets tore up and left to deteriorate. Expensive, gigantic pieces of equipment (likely rented) parked in the middle of the street or in front of homes. sitting FOR MONTHS, disrupting and denigrating our community. Unacceptable. We have contacted the Clairemont City Counsel to complain – they just referred us to the City. Anyone have any ideas on who we can contact as a community to change this situation and get the city to start closing out their roadwork projects before starting new ones??