SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — San Diego City Council President Joe LaCava says new tools are on the way to make La Jolla streets safer.
LaCava told us a new state law, Assembly Bill 43, gives the city authority to lower speed limits along corridors like La Jolla Boulevard, especially near schools, businesses and high-pedestrian areas.
“For years, neighbors have raised concerns about unsafe driving habits, which normally relates to speeding,” LaCava said.
Under the law, the city can reduce speed limits by up to five miles per hour. LaCava said even small changes can have a big impact on safety. But he emphasized the city isn’t rushing into changes.
“The city has chosen to take it a step at a time and has only really looked at that kind of reduction in commercial areas,” he said.
One neighborhood that could see future changes is Prestwick Drive in La Jolla Shores. LaCava says the street poses unique challenges because it slopes downhill toward the beach and has a sharp curve at the bottom.
One tool already showing success, according to LaCava, is roundabouts. He said they’ve helped slow down traffic along La Jolla Boulevard.
“The great thing for me is when I saw that first 10-year-old child be able to walk across La Jolla Boulevard safely on their own, that just proved to me that roundabouts are the perfect solution,” LaCava said.
LaCava says the city will continue studying how these changes play out over time, with the goal of making La Jolla’s streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike.
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