Black Mountain Road Interconnect Project

by Scott Peters
March 2003

As many of you know I have been advocating creative strategies to increase mobility in San Diego for many years. This includes exploring public transportation solutions, bringing new roads on-line more quickly, and using the latest technology to more efficiently use the roads we already have. I am pleased to announce that on April 5th we will officially cut the ribbon on the Camino Ruiz (now Camino del Sur) interchange which will remove much of the traffic from Black Mountain Road and provide easier access to Westview High School. I also wanted to let you know about an exciting new project that will enhance traffic circulation, increase fuel efficiency and reduce air pollution in the Rancho Penasquitos area.

The project is called the Black Mountain Road Control and Communication Link, and is part of a larger project that will link 120 traffic signals in communities all along the I-15 corridor. In Rancho Penasquitos the project will create a fiber optic link between traffic signals along Black Mountain Road. The project entails the installation of 16,400 feet of fiber optic cable along Black Mountain Road from Paseo Montalban to Mira Mesa Boulevard. The project will also install 4,400 feet of cable along Park Village Road. This interconnect system will give the City real time monitoring capabilities and allow a central operations center to change signal timing as needed to create the most efficient flow of traffic for the area. Having real time monitoring will also allow engineers in the central control facility to respond quickly if a signal is not working properly.

The federal government has provided a $745,000 grant to the City to complete this interconnect project as part of the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program. The program seeks to enhance air quality and our ability to move around the community more efficiently by using the latest technology. The benefits are truly remarkable. When complete and operational, the Black Mountain Road portion of this project is projected to greatly enhance fuel efficiency and reduce air pollutants each year by 14.56 tons of carbon monoxide, 8.58 tons of nitrous oxide, and 4 tons of reactive carbon gas. It is also estimated that drivers will save 306,404 vehicular hours per year.

Over the next month, you will notice construction in the south bound lanes of Black Mountain Road between the hours of 8:30 am and 3:30 pm. The construction will take about one-month and is being done now to coincide with the Black Mountain Road Pipeline Project. By doing both projects now, we minimize the overall inconvenience to the community and reduce the number of times we need to trench in the street. When both projects are complete, Black Mountain Road will receive a new street surface.

The Black Mountain Road Central Control link is an example of our commitment to using creativity and the latest technology to create a more efficient mobility network. While I believe that the ultimate solution to our traffic problems is the creation of an effective public transportation network, we need to use the technology and resources immediately available to get the most out of our roads and freeways. I look forward to bringing you updates on other mobility strategies. To learn more please go to the traffic and transit section of my web site at www.sandiego.gov/cd1.