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Dye/67 intersection improvements could delay other road projects

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By Karen Brainard

Fixing the intersection of State Route 67 and Highland Valley/Dye roads for improved traffic flow could come at the expense of other county road projects.

That could be welcome news to those opposing the Dye Road Extension and the Ramona Street Extension.

Ramona Community Planning Group Chair Jim Piva has led the push to improve the Route 67 and Highland Valley/Dye roads intersection to alleviate the traffic backups during rush hours.

At the planners’ Nov. 7 meeting, he said Joe Hull at Caltrans told him the state transportation agency’s project report on the intersection “is completed and is collecting dust.”

That’s not good, Piva said, because the project can’t move further until it receives funding.

“Unfortunately there’s been some glitches in getting the funding,” he said.

Piva said he floated the idea of switching transportation impact fee money earmarked for improving the curvy section of Highland Valley Road — a project long down the road — to the intersection. However, after talking with San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob, Piva said the TIF money would not be enough. In July, Caltrans estimated the intersection project would cost $10.5 million.

According to Piva, Jacob’s staff came up with an option for funding: delay the first phase of the Dye Road Extension for one year and delay the Ramona Street Extension for four years. If the planning group agreed to the delays, county staff believes the intersection could be funded, he said.

“I think the public good is that intersection of Highland Valley/Dye,” said Piva, adding that he will put the issue on the Dec. 5 meeting agenda.

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