San Diego County Supervisors unanimously approved two projects Wednesday expected to spend roughly $2.5 million to ease traffic on two of Fallbrook’s busiest roads and make it safer for drivers, pedestrians, bike riders, parents and students at two schools.
The first $1 million project will widen and add new left-turn only, right-turn only and through lanes to Stage Coach Lane as it approaches Reche Road. Reche is home to two schools, Live Oak Elementary and Potter Junior High. The schools generate lots of vehicles and pedestrian traffic.
The second $1.52 million project will ease congestion in front of the schools themselves by widening parts of the road, creating a left-turn pocket at Live Oak, installing sidewalks and improving pedestrian crosswalks.
The new dedicated turn lanes and installation of an upgraded traffic light at intersection of Stage Coach Lane and Reche Road will help keep traffic from jamming up along Stage Coach Lane, where drivers currently have to wait in line while motorists ahead of them wait to turn against coming traffic to get onto Reche Road.
Improving the intersection has been identified by Fallbrook’s planning advisory group as priority for several years.
The intersection improvements are being paid for with Transnet funds. Transnet is the countywide half-cent sales tax that helps pay for regional transportation projects.
The $1.52 million for the Reche Road improvements will be paid for by revenue from the federal Active Transportation Program.
The Board of Supervisors’ voted Wednesday to advertise and subsequently award contracts for the two projects. Both are expected to begin construction this winter and to be completed by next summer.
