By Christy Scott
The Alpine Sun
     ALPINE — Traffic relief in Alpine was the main topic at the most recent meeting of the Circulation Sub-Committee of the Alpine Planning Group. Options for dealing with a growing traffic problems were discussed with sub-committee members and members of the community. Alpine’s GP 2020 planner Bob Citrano was also on hand to answer questions.
     There were several residents in attendance, most coming to speak on the possibility of an east/west connecting road. They represented property owners with land on the north end of Wright’s field, one of the areas that will be looked at for a possible road.
     “Everyone I’ve talked to moved here for a lifestyle,” said Peter Dickenson, “they’re not opposed to development, but they want to keep their quality of life.”
     Sub-committee chair Scott Lamb opened the meeting by trying to clarify the east/west road issue for the audience. He commented on a recent flyer which was distributed to homes in the proposed area:
     “It pretty much stated that this has been passed — it’s a done deal. It’s coming and there’s nothing we can do,” said Lamb. “There’s been a lot of misconception.”
     “Let me just begin by saying that it is nowhere close to that point,” said Lamb. “We’re nowhere near the point of discussing condemning homes or taking property.”
     County planner Citrano stepped in to help clarify the situation for sub-committee members and the public. 
     “Once the commercial/industrial is done, then we move on to the road network planning phase,” Citrano said.
     At that point, planners will work with SANDAG to come up with traffic outlines for the area.
“By April, we should have the results,” said Citrano, “then we’ll look at possible ways to solve these problems.”
     The next step is for the county to review the possible options for traffic relief. According to Citrano, these options would be brought back to the community for input.
     “We have to have a road network that works together with density,” said Citrano. “All the possibilities will be run through a traffic model to test the different options.”
     “Tonight, we’re here to come up with ideas, even if the idea is no idea,” said Lamb, “but I think it’s good to have some sort of idea in place.”
     There were several options for traffic relief discussed by the group. An east/west road is one option. That road would run along the north edge of Wright’s Field south of Alpine Boulevard or could mean a road north of Alpine Boulevard.
     The southern east/west option was the hot button for members of the audience — not only over the idea of a two-lane road at the edges of their properties, but also the possible development that could accompany it.
     “This road seems to be one that goes nowhere,” Dickenson said, “but opens up a lot of land-locked property for development.”
     Also discussed was the widening of Alpine Boulevard to a four-lane road. 
     “I’m in favor of widening Alpine Blvd.” said Peter Krantz, “maybe getting rid of all those eucalyptus trees… replanting them somewhere else.”
     The favored option by sub-committee members and the public was a possible off-ramp at Victoria Drive. The proposed ramp would consist of an eastbound exit into Alpine and a westbound on-ramp to Interstate 8.
     “I see this as a completely vital issue,” Lamb said. “I’m pushing hard for this off-ramp.”
“If we get the Victoria off-ramp, then we won’t need the east/west road,” Lamb said. “But if I can’t get that for you, what other options or ideas do you have?”
     According to Citrano, without traffic studies on an east/west road or any alternative for dealing with traffic, the planning process can’t move forward.
     “If studies are done, we may see that there are too many problems with these other options,” said Citrano. “It might help to push the county for the off-ramp option.”
     “We can sell the idea of an on/off-ramp better if you know what can’t be done,” Citrano said.
Lamb encouraged the public to write letters to Supervisor Dianne Jacob to support a Victoria off-ramp over the other options.
     “The county needs to do its business or get off the pot.” Lamb said.
     The sub-committee voted to recommend that the APG request a study from the county for the following possible projects: an east/west road south of Alpine Boulevard, an east/west road north of Alpine Boulevard, an off-ramp at Victoria Drive, and the widening of Alpine Boulevard.
     The motion passed 6-2 with Gay deGero and Lamb voting against due to the reference to widening Alpine Boulevard.
     The group also voted unanimously to have the APG send a letter to District 52 Representative Duncan Hunter, an Alpine resident, to voice its support for the off-ramp.

                                                  E-mail Christy Scott