SAN MARCOS — The city will kick off a road improvement project along San Marcos Boulevard this month to improve traffic flow and safety near San Marcos High School and the Rancho San Marcos Village shopping center.
Beginning June 15 and continuing into August, the project will target the stretch of San Marcos Boulevard between Knights Realm and Rancho Santa Fe Road. Construction will take place Monday through Friday between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
The project will extend the current left-turn lanes on westbound San Marcos Boulevard leading to Rancho Santa Fe Road, remove the left-turn option into the shopping center, and extend the fence along the traffic median.
While the area will be less busy than usual due to the summer break, drivers can still expect traffic delays and lane closures.
“The city appreciates the community’s patience as we continue making roadway safety improvements across San Marcos,” the city said in a statement. 
Making the left-turn lane longer will help reduce traffic backups along the boulevard and onto Rancho Santa Fe Road. Simultaneously, the city will close the boulevard median, removing the left-turn option into the shopping center from the eastbound lanes.
Removing this left-turn option will help traffic to flow more smoothly and improve safety, the city said. Drivers will be able to access the shopping center from the westbound lanes of the boulevard and via Rancho Santa Fe Road.
Lastly, crews will extend the fencing along the median to prevent students from crossing San Marcos Boulevard mid-block and instead direct them to the designated crosswalks at Knights Realm and Rancho Santa Fe Road.
Fencing has also been added recently to the median along Rancho Santa Fe Road.
“Encouraging crossings at the signalized intersections will improve safety for students and drivers alike,” the city said.
Construction is also underway on the San Marcos High School campus this summer for sitewide athletic facilities improvements, including replacing the existing turf and track, as well as the shot put area, pole vault and long jump runways and replacing the soccer field.
