Caltrans Won’t Construct Barriers Through Park

State transportation officials decided Friday not to construct median barriers on California 163 through Balboa Park, after being persuaded by an advisory group to protect the trees and scenery that might have been destroyed in the process.

The California Department of Transportation found that traffic accidents along the stretch of highway were not as numerous as had been previously thought, and it agreed with the group’s request that such plans be dropped, officials said at a press conference.

In February, Caltrans District Director Jesus M. Garcia said he would “keep the door open” for installing guardrails from the Laurel Street overpass to roughly near the Robinson Avenue overpass to prevent motorists from crashing into trees.

At the time, Garcia said that the stretch of California 163 had a higher percentage of fatalities than the average for four-lane highways throughout the state, a contention disputed by City Councilwoman Judy McCarty and San Diego Democratic Assemblywoman Lucy Killea.

Backed Off Statement

On Friday, Garcia backed off and said that recently completed, more in-depth research shows that “current traffic conditions do not support constructing median barriers” along the picturesque highway.

The more detailed study found that fatalities along the tree-lined stretch were actually lower over a 10-year period compared to other California four-lane highways. The preliminary study had compared fatalities in a three-year period, 1986-88.

Over the 10-year period, the statewide average of fatalities per million vehicles was .027. The average for fatalities in the Balboa Park stretch was .015.

However, the two fatalities on 163 during the three-year period skewed the survey, according to Caltrans spokesman Jim Larson.

“Initially, what came up was that we had two fatalities and it looked like there was a significant traffic problem,” he said.

It’s Also a Park

The two fatalities were alcohol-related and involved motorists who lost control of their vehicles late at night and crashed into trees. In all, there were 16 accidents in that stretch during the three-year period.

“I think it’s important to remember that while it’s a freeway, it’s also a park. And while it’s a park it’s also a freeway,” McCarty said. “I think if we keep that in mind we can have safe driving and a beautiful park.”

Garcia said that although the median proposal is being dropped, he would not rule out future considerations--such as installing mason-type barriers found in national parks--if traffic conditions on the route warrant it.

“We have a responsibility to the motorists,” he said. “If there is something that is a problem, we have to fix it. We try to be sensitive to what’s being said--in this case through a citizens advisory committee.”

Even if barriers are someday installed, Garcia said, the trees can be saved and the grassy areas preserved.

The committee, which included McCarty, Killea and Caltrans officials, agreed that the metal guardrails, 34 inches high, would be “pretty tacky,” Larson said. The results of the detailed report show no pressing need for barriers, and scrapping the project seemed clear, Killea said.

“This was a park before it was a freeway,” she said. “It was made a freeway only on condition that park-like conditions be maintained. We feel that it is important that that commitment be kept.”

McCarty praised the cooperativeness of the committee.

“I want to thank Caltrans for being able to sit down and talk with us about it, so that we can have safety conditions, the highway, beautiful park trees and shrubbery, all exist side by side.”

The barriers, which would have cost more than $900,000 to build, would have been installed during fiscal year 1991.