With no changes to its scope, a project to replace a white K-rail barrier on Torrey Pines Road is on track to be completed by summer 2026. But some La Jollans worry the construction process could result in logjams for cars and pedestrians.
The topic was discussed at the Jan. 21 La Jolla Traffic & Transportation Board meeting in a presentation by Nazie Mansury, project manager for the city of San Diego, and Larry Thornburgh, director of engineering at Nasland Engineering and the engineer of record for the project.
Mansury said the project is in environmental review and is 60% through its design phase, which is expected to be finished by the end of this spring. Construction is set to begin in the winter, she said.
The project would replace the existing K-rail with 350 feet of ST-75 bridge rail on the north side of Torrey Pines Road between Coast Walk and Prospect Place. Thornburgh said the 42-inch-tall bridge rail is see-through and “more robust than the K-rail.”
A crash cushion to be included in the design hasn’t been selected yet, but Thornburgh said it will be made of metal.
During the construction phase, the affected area also will have its sidewalks replaced. The width of the sidewalk, in accord with accessibility requirements, will be at least 4 feet, and “if we can, we will expand it to 5 feet,” Nasbury said. If expanded, it would not encroach on any properties, she added.
People attending the meeting expressed concerns about the potential for decreased pedestrian access on Torrey Pines Road and how temporary lane closures during construction could cause major traffic jams on the busy street.
“Businesses are going to be affected terribly,” said Tom Brady, a T&T Board member. “The traffic on Torrey Pines really needs a good traffic study.”
To soften the blow of lane closures and traffic congestion, Thornburgh said work could be done at night.
“Construction is always challenging — it’s hard, we understand,” Thornburgh said. “But it’s going to take some basic lane closures to build this structure.”
Speaker Ray Weiss said there also is a need for more lighting for pedestrians, whether in the form of streetlights or more exposure to light from ing cars.
A permanent railing and more lighting have been discussed for years.
In January 2018, a car careened off Torrey Pines Road onto the adjacent hillside, landing in the yard of one of the Coast Walk houses below. Soon after, the white K-rail was installed as a temporary protective measure.
The following year, the K-rail was vandalized with graffiti. After that, an effort began to redesign the rail with a permanent solution.
In February 2022, the San Diego City Council provided a $718,700 grant from the California Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Improvement Program to the design and construction. Additional funding provided by the city brought the total to nearly $1 million.
Speaker Kathleen Neil said the rail could be a “negative aesthetic” in an area that draws many tourists. A wood exterior could be an improvement, she said.
Sally Miller asked about the possibility of a different color than the intended blue.
Board member John Bauer encouraged focusing the discussion on traffic and transportation matters.
“If someone’s talking about an aesthetic design, I get that,” he said. “But you get 100 people in a room, that’s 100 design opinions, which are all equally right. But we are not going to vote on design.”
Bauer asked the presenters to return once the city determines how the fixture will be installed.
“Let’s wait until they come back with a plan and we can scrutinize it then,” Bauer said. “But I think there needs to be a really good communication plan with the broader community before this starts.”
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Left-turn concerns: The possibility of adding a “No left turn” sign or pylons near southbound Bishops Lane where it intersects with Pearl Street also was discussed at the meeting.
Bauer said he has seen “traffic chaos” when drivers leaving business parking lots turn left from southbound Bishops Lane onto Pearl Street.
Two possible solutions, he said, are a “Right turn only” sign and pylons. Bauer said the sign may be a “good first start,” followed by any other necessary measures.
A request for a traffic analysis is expected to be submitted to the city.
Next meeting: The La Jolla Traffic & Transportation Board next meets at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, at the La Jolla/Riford Library, 7555 Draper Ave. Learn more at lajollaa.org. ♦
