After some rain-related delays that have frustrated area residents and others, a project to replace underground pipes on Soledad Mountain Road in La Jolla has resumed.
The project, where Soledad Mountain Road meets La Jolla Scenic Drive South, is intended to upsize existing 12-inch pipes to 16 inches and replace a nearby fire hydrant to improve water flow and connectivity to the Soledad and La Jolla Country Club reservoirs.
The construction began in late October. However, “the project experienced minor delays due to rain,” according to San Diego city spokeswoman Jennifer McBride. It is now scheduled to be completed by the end of this month.
Boards and planks cover a median on Soledad Mountain Road during a project to replace underground pipes. (Ashley Mackin-Solomon)
Concerns about the project and the tattered state of the street have been raised at local community planning meetings, with some wondering whether the work had stalled for some reason. Recent correspondence from a resident shared with the La Jolla Light stated that “all work stopped weeks ago … but the mess is still there.”
Isabelle David, head of San Diego French-American School at 6550 Soledad Mountain Road in the construction area, said the work “has had a significant impact on the [school] community. It creates daily traffic congestion, particularly during morning drop-off, which leads to students often arriving late. … Frustration among families has been growing due to the ongoing delays and lack of clear communication about what work is currently being done.”
A project where Soledad Mountain Road meets La Jolla Scenic Drive South is intended to upsize existing 12-inch underground pipes to 16 inches. (Bing Maps and La Jolla Light)
The school’s board chairman, Aaron Brennan, said “there is clearly a significant impact” on parents and commuters.
“Many families come up Soledad Mountain Road and are confronted with a single lane where there are normally two lanes,” he said. “But it’s not just SDFAS — all traffic, especially folks who wish to turn right on La Jolla Scenic South, are negatively impacted. If there is someone turning left at the light, the whole lane is blocked, preventing right-turning cars from proceeding. Traffic often backs up all the way down to Caminito Blythefield. …
“I think folks understand that this sort of work needs to happen from time to time. [But] this project seems to be dragging out longer than usual. There have been many days where no work was done at all.”
Nevertheless, “at no point has the project been stalled,” McBride said. “Following installation, the new pipeline has been undergoing a flushing and testing process to verify it meets regulatory standards. After all segments of the pipe have successfully passed testing, the final road restoration will occur.” ♦