ENCINITAS — The Encinitas City Council recently approved moving funds from two other street improvement projects to complete long-awaited storm drainage improvements along Coast Highway 101 in Leucadia.
The city pulled approximately $2.014 million from the Leucadia Boulevard/Hygeia Street roundabout project and $1.21 million from the La Costa Avenue improvements project, totaling approximately $3.223 million, to help pay for the installation of a 60-inch storm drain pipeline between Grandview and Jupiter Streets.
Last September, the council awarded a construction contract to Blue Pacific Engineering and Construction, Inc. for the Leucadia Streetscape Segment C West and North Highway 101 Drainage Improvement projects.
The proposed drainage work includes installing a series of reinforced concrete storm drain pipes underneath the highway for additional storage capacity, catch basins and curb inlets along the roadway and at Leucadia Roadside Park, and “green street” or biofiltration elements to help filter stormwater runoff and improve water quality.
At the time, there was only enough funding to construct a 60-inch pipe from La Costa Avenue to Moorgate Road, plus roundabout work.
In May, the council approved approximately $1.67 million in development mitigation fees to increase the contract with Blue Pacific and another $1.8 million from the general fund into the Leucadia Streetscape Segment C West project.
Together, these transfers provided enough funding to extend a new 60-inch pipe from Moorgate Road to Grandview Street but not enough to complete storm drainage improvements along the final stretch between Grandview and Jupiter Streets.
The council asked staff to return with information about fees, what types of projects can be funded and whether or not there was enough money sitting in other city projects that could be reappropriated to complete the storm drainage improvements.
Ultimately, staff identified a pair of stalled projects — the Leucadia roundabout and La Costa improvements — from which the could reappropriate funds for storm drain repairs.
“This is a no-brainer,” said District 2 council candidate Kevin Doyle, who supported moving the funds to complete the pipe installation.
The rest of the City Council appeared to agree. Mayor Tony Kranz said that while he was sad to see the roundabout project have to wait even longer to be completed, he recognized that the storm drainage improvements in Leucadia were a higher priority.
“It’s a good solution that’s painful,” he said.
Councilmember Bruce Ehlers noted the storm drainage project was also more urgent than the roundabout, adding that he hoped to see funds restored to the roundabout as soon as practical and feasible for the city.
The roundabout project would install the third roundabout along Leucadia Boulevard in between two other existing roundabouts with the intention of improving the flow of traffic.
Councilmember Joy Lyndes suggested bumping the Leucadia/Hygeia roundabout project, the La Costa Avenue improvements and the La Costa pedestrian path project up to higher priority levels on the city’s to-do list for next year in exchange for reappropriating the funds.
“I feel like this is a situation where you’re trying to choose between your children,” Lyndes said. “These projects are all warranted and needed in the community.”
City Engineer Jill Bankston noted she spoke with staff from Rep. Mike Levin’s office regarding the city’s desire to finish the roundabout project. Bankston also suggested using a $850,000 federal grant the city has already received for the project to install sidewalks along Leucadia Boulevard in the area where the roundabout would go in the meantime.
Leucadia Streetscape Page is here: https://www.encinitasca.gov/government/departments/engineering/capital-improvements/north-highway-101-projects#ad-image-0
North 101 Drainage Page is here: https://www.encinitasca.gov/government/city-projects-initiatives/n-coast-hwy-101-drainage-improvements
1 comment
Mayor Tony Kranz has continued the flagrant spending of previous Mayor Blakespear in her many trophy projects. This infrastructure work is a necessity and Kranz voted for it thankfully. Does that mean Kranz should continue as Mayor for the next election? NO. That is a definite NO. Our city has had enough of Kranz and his chosen councilperson (not elected) Allison Blackwell and Joy Lyndes (chosen by Blakespear on first term). They have spend hundred of millions of dollars on the trophy projects (streetscape 101, narrowing vehicle lanes (to get you out of your cars), and adding dangerous wheel stops and bollards on bike lanes (to get you onto bikes) over the last 5 years. Wonder why our streets are still having potholes? Look for further than the council spending habits and what is important to them and not for the residents. Next up from the council is a ballot measure to increase the Encinitas sales tax another one (1) percent. Some people say residents can afford it because the money will go into the general fund for all types of good things, BUT with no guarantee that will happen.
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