Camino Del Mar - (Original Page Nos. 76—80)
The purpose of this precise plan, as drafted, is to recommend the restructuring of Camino del Mar so as to provide a safer street in both the residential and commercial districts through which it passes. The plan also provides for additional parking, and for increased pedestrian and bicycle traffic. The visual and physical character of the street will be improved by adding such amenities as landscaping and benches. Specific recommendations are arranged below by area.
1.
Northern City Limits to 15th Street
A.
Limit traffic to two lanes, one each way, with holding or turn lanes at intersections. Serpentine the lanes where feasible to reduce speed and sight disturbance.
B.
Design 6 ft. bicycle rights-of-way, one northbound and one southbound, to connect with Solana Beach bicycle paths. Design 5 foot walkways for pedestrian traffic, one on each side of the street. Walkways should be informal, within a 15 foot right-of-way, and have textured walking surfaces with low level lighting.
C.
Provide parking for beach use where safety and aesthetics permit. Parking areas should be aesthetically pleasing with planting of shrubbery and trees. Landscaping should be informal; incorporating mounds, berms, and groups of native and cultivated shrubs, flowers and trees.
D.
Provide a pedestrian activated crossing light in the vicinity of 27th or 28th Street.
E.
Restrict the speed limit to 35 miles per hour. This could be possible as a result of serpentining and the creation of visual barriers through landscaping and the reduction to two lanes.
F.
Request San Diego County to design a safe transition from four lanes to two lanes in the area it controls, approximately 600 feet of roadway south from Via de la Valle to the Del Mar City Limits.
G.
Recommend to the San Diego County Traffic and Safety Engineer that a proposal similar to the following for the traffic signal at Via de la Valle be implemented:
Modify striping and signs to indicate two left turn lanes from Highway 101 to Via de la Valle with one through lane to Camino del Mar. The middle turn lane would have the option of turning left or continuing straight. Timing of the signal to encourage the majority of southbound thru traffic to turn left towards 1-5 might help relieve the present through traffic on Camino del Mar. A traffic sign showing "Single Lane Ahead" would be requested later when Camino del Mar was reduced to one lane each way.
H.
Request San Diego County to place signs at Via de la Valle stating "Del Mar - Pedestrian Oriented - Thru Traffic Use Via de la Valle".
I.
"Yield to Pedestrian" signs and marked crosswalks should be installed at designated locations on Camino del Mar.
2.
15th Street to 9th Street
A.
Immediately investigate alternative circulation and design schemes that will mitigate traffic and parking problems while allowing for improvement in pedestrian orientation and appearance of the area. This alternatives should include the possibility of reducing travel lanes to one in each direction, divided by the existing landscaped median, with holding or turn lanes at intersections, and the provision of additional parking (particularly in the area between 15th and 13th Streets).
B.
Provide attractive promenade walkways with landscaped resting areas and benches. Encourage the use of distinctive paving patterns and textures. The width of walkways should be variable and provided with low level pedestrian lighting. Provide additional landscaping using street trees with grating or pavers at base and raised and mounded planting areas of shrubs and flowers. Also use fixed container planters and hanging planters with seasonal flowers, where appropriate.
C.
Design bicycle rights-of-way to connect with other segments of Camino del Mar both north and south, one bicycle lane northbound and one southbound. The lanes should be approximately six feet wide and clearly marked.
D.
Provide bicycle parking areas at the Del Mar Plaza, Stratford Square, Canterbury Corner, City Hall and the end of 11th Street.
E.
Reduce speed limit to 30 miles per hour.
F.
Make provisions for future minibus and rapid transit bus stops.
3.
9th Street to Southern City Limit
A.
Limit traffic to two lanes, one each way, with holding or turn lanes at intersections.
B.
Provide pedestrian walkways on each side of the street. Walkways should be more formal and straighter than in other areas but should have textured surfaces and low level lighting.
C.
Provide bicycle rights-of-way, one northbound and one southbound, to connect with the central Camino del Mar route and with the City of San Diego route.
D.
Direct northbound through traffic to Interstate 5 via Del Mar Heights Road by use of signs similar to those proposed at the north end of the City.
E.
Provide a pedestrian activated crossing light for users of the scenic loop trail.
The Plan, therefore recommends that the entire length of Camino del Mar be immediately reduced to one lane of traffic in each direction, with the remaining space being utilized for landscaping, parking and a bicycle right-of-way. This concept should be facilitated by way of a temporary low cost solution that will allow for monitoring over a six month to one year period of time. If, after this monitoring period, the concept is felt to be a good one, efforts should be made to install permanent improvements.
