Proposed street connecting Rancho Bernardo and Rancho Peñasquitos faces opposition
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| The light green lines show the proposed 48-foot wide, 410-foot long street that would connect Paymogo Street in Rancho Peñasquitos with Paseo Montanoso in Rancho Bernardo. (Courtesy of Lennar) |
Traffic Calming Measures Could Address Safety Concerns While Preserving Emergency Access
SAN DIEGO — A contentious proposal to build a 410-foot connector street between Rancho Peñasquitos and Rancho Bernardo has taken on new urgency following a January wildfire that forced evacuations in the same area where the emergency route would terminate.
The proposed street, which would connect Paymogo Way in Rancho Peñasquitos to Paseo Montanoso in Rancho Bernardo, has become a flashpoint between communities as residents grapple with competing priorities: wildfire safety versus neighborhood traffic concerns.
Recent Fire Highlights Evacuation Challenges
On January 22, 2025, the Center Fire erupted near Camino del Norte and Paseo Montanoso in Rancho Bernardo, forcing evacuations of approximately 8,200 residents and workers. The seven-acre blaze threatened homes and required over 175 firefighters to contain, with helicopters making water drops throughout the area.
The fire's proximity to Paseo Montanoso — the exact street where the proposed connector would terminate — underscored the evacuation challenges facing northeast Rancho Peñasquitos residents, who currently have only one exit route via Peñasquitos Drive at Carmel Mountain Road.
Settlement Origins and Community Division
The connector street proposal stems from a 2023 private settlement between the PQ-NE Action Group, developer Lennar, and Carmel Land LLC. The agreement requires Lennar to construct and pay for the emergency evacuation route as part of conditions for building the 536-unit Junipers housing development.
However, the proposal has created deep divisions within both communities. During a July 1 Rancho Bernardo Planning Board meeting, residents from both sides expressed strong opposition despite the emergency benefits.
"We are highly against a thoroughfare going on our small street," said Christina Rodocker, a Paymogo Street resident. "We chose where we live because it is such a private, special spot to us. You are creating a nightmare in our front yard."
Traffic Concerns Dominate Opposition
Rancho Bernardo Planning Board member Gary Long warned that the proposed street would create "a freeway dumping down onto some streets that are only two lanes wide" leading to "a choke point at a stoplight at Camino del Norte that is already very accident prone."
Critics fear the 48-foot-wide street would become a shortcut for hundreds of daily commuters seeking to avoid Interstate 15 traffic, fundamentally changing the character of both residential neighborhoods.
Traffic Calming: A Potential Solution
Transportation experts suggest that traffic calming measures could address community concerns while preserving emergency access functionality. San Diego County and the City of San Diego have successfully implemented various traffic calming techniques including speed humps, chicanes, roundabouts, and flexible posts that can slow regular traffic while allowing emergency vehicle access.
Potential design modifications for the connector street could include:
- Narrow travel lanes with speed bumps to discourage through traffic
- Chicanes or curves that slow vehicles but accommodate emergency response
- Gated emergency access that remains closed except during evacuations
- Roundabouts at intersections to control traffic flow
- Weight restrictions limiting use to local traffic and emergency vehicles
Recent traffic calming projects in San Diego, such as the Diamond Street improvements in Pacific Beach, demonstrate how "flexible posts are designed to allow access for emergency vehicles if needed, so response times will not be impacted."
Land Ownership Remains Major Hurdle
A significant obstacle remains: 75% of the proposed route is owned by the Camino Bernardo Homeowners Association in Rancho Bernardo, which has not confirmed whether it will sell the land to Lennar.
Rancho Bernardo Planning Board Chair Robin Kaufman noted that the HOA was approached by Lennar in March but declined the initial proposal. She expressed concern that if built as a regular road rather than emergency-only access, "at any time the city could say 'There is too much congestion in other parts of PQ so we're going to make this a thoroughfare.'"
Alternative Routes Under Consideration
According to Lennar consultant Arlene Tendick, three options were evaluated: the current Paymogo Street proposal, widening the existing Andorra Way emergency street, and a connection to Peñasquitos Drive. Tendick said Andorra Way was deemed not feasible due to topography, while the Peñasquitos Drive option faced habitat concerns.
Next Steps and Community Input
The proposal was scheduled to be presented to the Rancho Peñasquitos Planning Board on July 2, though recent updates on that meeting's outcome were not immediately available.
Both planning boards have emphasized the need for comprehensive traffic studies before any approval. Rancho Bernardo planning officials noted that Lennar "did not look at a single intersection in Rancho Bernardo" in their preliminary studies.
The Bottom Line
While the January fire highlighted the urgent need for additional evacuation routes in northeast Rancho Peñasquitos, the connector street proposal remains highly controversial. Traffic calming measures and emergency-only access restrictions could potentially address neighborhood concerns while preserving the safety benefits, but such compromises would require careful engineering and ongoing community input.
The debate reflects a broader challenge facing fire-prone San Diego communities: balancing emergency preparedness with neighborhood preservation as development continues to increase evacuation pressures on aging infrastructure.
The proposed connector street would be funded entirely by Lennar as part of the Junipers development settlement. No public funds would be required for construction.
Sources
- Himchak, Elizabeth Marie. "Proposed street connecting Rancho Bernardo and Rancho Peñasquitos faces opposition." San Diego Union-Tribune, July 8, 2025. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/07/08/proposed-street-connecting-rancho-bernardo-and-rancho-penasquitos-faces-opposition/
- Staff Report. "Crews quickly douse Rancho Bernardo fire that led hundreds to flee homes." San Diego Union-Tribune, January 23, 2025. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/01/22/evacuations-imminent-as-fire-erupts-in-rancho-bernardo/
- Staff Report. "Crews Gain Control Over Brush Fire That Prompted Evacuations in Rancho Bernardo." Times of San Diego, January 23, 2025. https://timesofsandiego.com/crime/2025/01/22/evacuation-orders-issued-as-brush-fire-breaks-out-in-rancho-bernardo/
- Garrick, David. "Deal lets construction resume on large Rancho Penasquitos project – but lawsuit could still complicate housing approvals." San Diego Union-Tribune, August 17, 2023. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2023-08-17/pact-allows-construction-to-resume-on-large-penasquitos-project-but-case-still-complicates-approvals
- Staff Report. "Lennar, Rancho Peñasquitos Group Reach Deal to Resume Building Junipers Senior Community." Times of San Diego, August 18, 2023. https://timesofsandiego.com/business/2023/08/17/lennar-rancho-penasquitos-group-reach-deal-to-resume-building-junipers-senior-community-project/
- Staff Report. "City of San Diego Implementing Traffic Calming on Diamond Street in Pacific Beach." Inside San Diego, accessed July 13, 2025. https://www.insidesandiego.org/city-san-diego-implementing-traffic-calming-diamond-street-pacific-beach
- San Diego County Department of Public Works. "Traffic Engineering." Accessed July 13, 2025. https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/dpw/transportation/traffic.html
- City of San Diego Transportation Department. "Traffic Service Request." Accessed July 13, 2025. https://www.sandiego.gov/transportation/tools-resources/traffic-service-request
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