The intersection of Rosecrans and Kurtz streets in the Midway District will soon get new safety features including flashing beacons, countdown timers, pedestrian-friendly delayed-green stoplights and crosswalks aimed to boost visibility.
The intersection is one of seven road locations considered among the most dangerous in San Diego. The upgrades are part of the city’s 10-year-old Vision Zero campaign, which intends to reduce traffic deaths to zero.
Each of the locations had five or more crashes in 2023. The city’s Transportation Department annually studies intersections and street segments with the most crashes involving pedestrians and injuries.
Traffic engineering teams are now designing and scheduling the safety improvement projects for five intersections and two street segments.
Along with Rosecrans and Kurtz, the other dangerous intersections or segments are:
- Art Street at El Cajon Boulevard,
- Miramar Road at Nobel Drive,
- Briarwood and Paradise Valley roads and
- Pacific Highway at Taylor Street.
- The segments are El Cajon Boulevard between 63rd Street and Choctaw Drive and
- Market Street between 26th and 27th streets.
In addition to safety upgrades, the locations may get new speed limit signs and additional red curbs to comply with a new state law prohibiting parking within 20 feet of an intersection or crosswalk.
Some of the locations are part of a new city analysis of fatal crashes that tries to identify traits common to the intersections where they happen and to determine what kinds of changes can be made.
The upgrades will be completed by a new city “quick build” team that will enable San Diego to make changes to dangerous intersections more quickly than hiring an outside contractor.
“Our engineers and field operations teams are working hand in hand to ensure these safety upgrades are implemented to maximize safety for all users,” said Transportation Director Bethany Bezak. “Being able to carry out these projects with our in-house teams is important so the work can be completed as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
Some of the upgrades will require coordination with other agencies including the Metropolitan Transit System and the North County Transit District.
Vision Zero hasn’t reduced injury crashes or fatalities since it was launched in 2015. But instead of giving up, city officials said they plan to spend more money on safety features and other initiatives.
That includes a plan to reduce speed limits this year in pedestrian-heavy business districts and areas designated as safety corridors because they are used by many walkers, cyclists or senior citizens.
To learn more, go to sandiego.gov/visionzero.
By David Garrick / Pt Loma – OB Monthly (SDUT) / Jan. 16, 2025
I wonder how many crashes at that intersection were the result of people casually walking across the street in traffic. I have lost count of how many times I’ve had to swerve to not hit someone along that stretch.
Twice at night, a man in black clothing ran across the street in front of me there. Thoughtlessly running across the street is definitely an issue.
Came here expecting victim blaming and wasn’t disappointed. Motorists are constantly driving recklessly, on their phone, running red lights, speeding, etc. Ignoring every incident where they are at fault says all you need to know about the commenters here.
And true to your one-sided opinion, people in cars are the only ones to blame. It’s never the pedestrian or – horrors – the cyclist!
I was amazed to see Rosecrans and Kurtz on this list. That is a small intersection I have been through many times. If the city is basing this strictly on the number of accidents, that is way too narrow a consideration. Just down the street from Kurtz is the County Health Services Complex with a very big housing facility. There is no doubt that accidents in this area are due to the population in that facility. There is a Burger King on Kurtz and an In-N-Out and Del Taco a little farther away but within walking distance.
Spending money on road improvements won’t solve this problem.