SAN DIEGO — The city of San Diego will need to reconsider plans to change a major thoroughfare in Little Italy. The Downtown Community Planning Council rejected a proposal Wednesday that would have removed parking along Grape Street to increase traffic lanes.
Grape Street is a main thoroughfare for people traveling from the airport to get to I-5.
"Grape is like a freeway and it's not pleasant," said a Hillcrest resident during Wednesday's meeting.
City officials' and San Diego County Regional Airport Authority's traffic plan would have removed parking on both sides of Grape Street to add a fourth lane for cars. One bike lane would also have been added.
Neighbors came to voice their opinions on the plan.
"I think by expanding Grape Street you discount what Little Italy is," one resident said. Which is an urban, dense, vibrant, colorful, neighborhood people want to go to not go through. I'd encourage you to oppose."
However, those in favor of the project say more lanes are needed to keep up with a higher traffic volume expected from the airport's expansion. The planning council said adding a fourth lane would decrease travel time on Grape Street by 28.6 seconds.
"I don't think 28.6 seconds is worth more collisions with pedestrians or significantly worse quality of life for Little Italy residents," said a planning council member.
The planning council voted against the plan to add a fourth lane Wednesday and hope the city finds different ways to improve traffic congestion in Little Italy.
"I'd encourage alternative modes of mass transit options opposed to another traffic lane," said another planning council member.
Another planning council member said studies have shown a barrier between pedestrians and cars helps make pedestrians feel safer and looking at the streetscape in a more innovative way might be a good compromise.
If the city chooses, it can submit a revision to the Grape Street proposal or a completely different plan to alleviate traffic to and from the airport.
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