As plans progress for a new bus route that would connect Poway and Ramona, organizers are requesting input on stop locations and potential destinations.
Representatives of the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) presented several alternative routes for the proposed Rapid 277 bus route to the Ramona Community Planning Group on Aug. 6.
Rapid routes run more frequently than regular bus routes, they generally have fewer stops and in some cases they have priority over other traffic on the roadways, said Ashankh Jaishankar, SANDAG associate regional planner, at the planning group meeting.
Jaishankar said Rapid 277 is one of six new routes SANDAG is studying. Two of the potential routes would be located in the South Bay area, two in the East County and one that would travel outside the county to Temecula.
About $26.6 million is being budgeted for the planning and design of the six Rapid bus routes, he said.
State Route 67 is being considered as a potential bus route in part because Caltrans is conducting an SR-67 Highway Improvement Project for 16 miles of the highway from Highland Valley/Dye Road in Ramona to Mapleview Street in Lakeside, Jaishankar said. The focus of the comprehensive multimodal and safety study is on improving safety, easing evacuation capacity and planning possible infrastructure updates such as adding a roundabout.
“The improvements will address deficiencies in multimodal transportation along with recreational and wildlife movement,” according to a Caltrans engagement portal website. “Multimodal transportation includes buses, active bicycles and pedestrian options. Three improvement alternatives and a no-build alternative are being evaluated and considered as potential improvements to the SR-67 Highway Improvement Project.”
Although the Highway Improvement Project is being managed independently by Caltrans, the Rapid bus route project is being handled by SANDAG, Jaishankar said. The bus route studies will address traveler safety, reduced travel times, an increased temporary emergency evacuation capacity and encourage multimodal transportation, he said.
“The Rapid 277 project goals are to provide high-quality transit service, maximize ridership, enhance road user safety along Rapid routes and to implement cost-effective and financially feasible rapid transit,” he said.
Jaishankar presented several possible alternative routes to the planning group members. Among them was a route that would start at Sixth Street in Ramona, traverse SR-67 then travel down Scripps Poway Parkway on its way to Pomerado Road. The other proposed routes are similar, but one would connect to the Sabre Springs Transit Center and another would connect to the Miramar Transit Center. Another route would bypass Poway and continue straight on Scripps Poway Parkway from SR-67.
Choosing an appropriate pathway would factor in travel times, job locations, housing locations, transit connections and route lengths, Jaishankar said,
“We’ll look at these in the next couple of months,” he said.
Planning group members weighed in with a few suggestions for the proposed routes.
Member Basil Aruin suggested the route include stops near the Poway Road and Community Road intersection where there is a substantial amount of housing in Poway. He also said stops in San Diego Country Estates might be considered since it could increase youth ridership, although he added that it would increase the distance of the route in both directions.
Member Dawn Perfect said a connection to the Sabre Springs Transit Center is important as it provides a connection to coastal destinations, such as medical services in La Jolla and jobs in Sorrento Valley. She agreed with Aruin that stops near Poway and Community roads are important as access points to shopping, restaurants and a movie theater in Poway.
“From my own experience, connecting to Poway is critical, as is connecting to the Sabre Springs Transit Center,” said planning group member Maureen Dant.
Speaker Sue Thygeson suggested creating a stop at the new Mt. Woodson parking lot.
When speaker Steve Powell, president of Woodcrest Homes, Inc. in Ramona, asked about bicycle accommodations, he was told Rapid 277 could have bike racks on the front of the bus.
“That expands options for the recreational portion of it,” Powell said.
Park and Ride parking lot options were also considered during the meeting, with one suggestion for locating a Park and Ride at Main and Day streets in Ramona, which would be within walking distance of stores, a few fast-casual eateries and schools.
Jaishankar ended his presentation with an estimated timeline for the Rapid 277 bus route. The planning phase could conclude in 2027, then an environmental study could begin around 2027-28 and be completed in 2028, then design and construction of the route could be worked on in 2029, followed by opening the route for operation.
To comment on the plans for the Rapid 277 line, the public is asked to sign up for emails at tinyurl.com/3yep662z.