Super-Sized Sidewalks May Be First Step to Downtown Revitalization

A sidewalk along the south side Ortega Highway might soon be widened to jump-start plans for a .

City staffers unveiled plans Wednesday to eliminate the westbound lane on Ortega Highway, between Camino Capistrano and Camino Real, to make room for 16-foot-wide sidewalks.

Planners envision restaurant adding small dining tables to the wider sidewalks, as well as trees and benches that would create an environment reminiscent of downtowns like Santa Barbara.

“The huge benefit to this—and I can tell you I have seen numerous studies for downtown—they usually becomes documents sitting on someone’s shelf unless you start taking steps,” said Nasser Abbaszadeh, San Juan’s public works director. “We want to show the downtown merchants that the city is serious about this plan.”

Abbaszadeh was referring to . When the City Council gave initial approval to that plan in December, its consultant listed super-sized sidewalks as one step the city could soon take to quickly initiate the changes.

Much of the plan hinges on the realignment of Del Obispo and reconfiguration of on- and off-ramps at Ortega Highway. The realignment would divert traffic to the south end of downtown, with Del Obispo serving as the main thoroughfare.

But on Wednesday, the Traffic Commission questioned the urgency of expanding the sidewalks. Members said the elimination of the westbound lane would create more bottlenecking along the already crowded section of Ortega Highway.

“While I like the wide sidewalk and the ambience, I think that we have a tremendous problem westbound with that one block of traffic,” said Commissioner John Altieri.

Some commissioners suggested it would be best to wait until the interchange project is completed. At last forecast, CalTrans said it was not likely to being construction until spring 2012.

“If you’re not well-versed on the master plan [then] study it because you’re going to play a big part [in carrying it out],” Laura Freese, chair of San Juan’s Redevelopment Agency, cautioned the commission. “We need to start someplace and this is the easiest part.”

There is $200,000 allocated for the project in the Redevelopment Agency’s budget.