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Traffic signal approved at
Albertson’s intersection
By Joe Naiman
The Alpine Sun
ALPINE — The San Diego County Board of
Supervisors voted 5-0 Aug. 6 to authorize the advertisement for
bid and subsequent award of a construction contract for a
traffic signal at the intersection of Alpine Boulevard and South
Grade Road/East Victoria Drive.
The supervisors also approved the appropriations of
$57,000 from developer deposits into the county’s Detailed Work
Program for the traffic signal installation. The county had
previously budgeted $250,000 of gas tax revenue for the signal,
and the developer deposits are from nearby commercial
development, which required mitigating impacts at the
intersection.
“It’s very important,” County Supervisor Dianne Jacob
said of the signal.
The intersection includes significant traffic from the
new Albertson’s in Alpine, which is at the southeast corner of
the intersection. “It presented a safety hazard at this
particular intersection that needed to be addressed
immediately,” Jacob said.
In December 2007 the county’s Traffic Advisory
Committee recommended placement of the intersection on the
county’s Traffic Signal Priority List. The TAC had given the
intersection 29 priority points, and when the Board of
Supervisors ratified the
TAC recommendation on February 27 the intersection
placed second on the priority list.
Priority points are given for factors such as traffic volume of
the major and minor legs, operational improvement potential, and
accident reduction potential. Between July 30, 2002, and July
30, 2007 the intersection had 15 reported collisions, eight of
which involved injury. The Traffic Advisory Committee decided
that the present stop control at the intersection was no longer
suitable for the situation.
An October 2007 traffic survey produced an average
daily traffic volume of 5,850 eastbound vehicles on Alpine
Boulevard west of South Grade and East Victoria. 2,630 westbound
vehicles on Alpine Boulevard east of South Grade and East
Victoria. 2,680 northbound vehicles on South Grade south of
Alpine Boulevard, and 770 southbound vehicles on East Victoria
north of Alpine Boulevard.
Since these numbers were recorded the new Alpine
Albertson’s has opened its doors on the eastern corner of this
intersection, resulting in even more traffic in the area.
A May 2001 traffic survey at those locations saw an
average of 3,670 eastbound, 3,100 westbound, 1,700 northbound,
and 690 southbound vehicles.
Construction of the signal is scheduled to begin in
September and be complete in November. During the construction
period traffic control measures will be implemented to keep all
roads open and limit impacts to the community.
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