City staff say the damaged ramp’s location in Balboa Park makes it eligible for funding from a regional park improvement pool.
$1.7 million in funds allocated to park improvements will be used to repair a low-volume San Diego freeway exit ramp damaged in winter storms, reports Andrew Bowen for KPBS.
“But despite the exit's relatively low use, city staff argued it is a critical route for motorists to get from downtown and the South Bay to Bankers Hill, Hillcrest and Balboa Park's west mesa. They also said ambulances use the exit to access the two hospitals in Hillcrest.” The city council approved the project 7-2.
The funding comes from the Regional Park Improvement Fund. “While park improvement funds are rarely used for freeways, staff say the location of SR-163 and Quince Drive in Balboa Park makes the off-ramp repairs an eligible use.” City officials called the repairs urgent, saying the ramp will reopen by the end of this year.
As Bowen notes, “Balboa Park has a long backlog of unfunded repairs ranging from replacing outdated bathrooms to electrical repairs to drainage upgrades. A report published last year by the nonprofit Burnham Center for Community Advancement found the city would need to spend $444.2 million by 2036 to bring all of Balboa Park's amenities into good condition.”
FULL STORY: San Diego proposes using park improvement funds to repair a freeway off-ramp
San Diego Planners Want to Reform Park Funding System
The San Diego Planning Department wants to change the system that currently funds improvements to public amenities, facing considerations about the implementation and legality of the proposed alternative.
Judge Halts Trump Order Tying State Transportation Grants to Immigration Actions
Ruling applies to Colorado, which was among 20 plaintiff states.
Duffy Threatens to Cut DOT Funds to “Sanctuary Cities”
“Follow the law or forfeit the funding” says US Secretary of Transportation.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.
Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.
California Homeless Arrests, Citations Spike After Ruling
An investigation reveals that anti-homeless actions increased up to 500% after Grants Pass v. Johnson — even in cities claiming no policy change.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)