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Unannounced Mira Mesa bike lane sparks frustration and confusion

Jorge Riveros, Director of Transportation, announced all similar bike lane projects are being put on hold.

SAN DIEGO — San Diego’s transportation division is apologizing for unannounced lane changes in Mira Mesa.  

The new striping on Gold Coast Drive near Parkdale changed the two-way, two-lane street into a shared single lane road with two-way vehicle traffic. There are bike lanes on either side of the center lane.  

The transportation division addressed worried neighbors during Mira Mesa’s town council meeting Monday night.  

“Something happened in a community, and nobody got notified from the city. It just makes no sense,” said resident Joe Frichtel. 

The Director of Transportation, Jorge Riveros, apologized for not notifying neighbors before last week’s restriping. He announced all similar bike lane projects are being put on hold.  

“I completely understand the frustration that it wasn’t rolled out with a good education and outreach program. We’re owning that,” Riveros said.

WATCH: Mira Mesa bike lanes on Gold Coast Drive between Hemphill and Empress 

Mayor Todd Gloria also addressed the new changes.  

“This is still a two-lane road which is part of the confusion where it appears there are two bike lanes and only one traveling lane for cars. It’s a shared lane situation,” he said. “It is new for our city but not a new kind of bike treatment.”  

With the project being new to San Diegans, community members have plenty of questions. 

“What do you have planned for the eventuality something is going to happen with a drunk or intoxicated driver which we do have frequently,” said Joe Raymundo, a fire captain for the San Diego Fire Department.  

The transportation division says the lanes are ultimately meant to cut down on crashes and should create a traffic calming effect.  

A sign is posted on Gold Coast Drive to explain how the lanes work. Drivers are asked to yield and go behind cyclists if they need to move into the edge lanes.  

WATCH RELATED: Mira Mesa neighbors upset over one lane road with  two-way traffic (April 2022).

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