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Traffic congestion in San Marcos is an ongoing and growing concern that continues to go unaddressed by our city leaders. Every election cycle, local voters cite traffic congestion has a top concern, and local politicians make promises that they can't keep. Why? Because the reality is the development of transportation infrastructure is primarily a regional issue and is so expensive no city or developer alone could afford to make meaningful improvements. Sure, a city or a developer can add and widen roads here and there, major traffic relief comes in the form of improving the efficiencies of freeways, transit, and major arterials that cross municipal borders. Those types of improvements usually require regional, state, and federal collaboration and funding.
Additionally, San Marcos is located in the middle of North County, bisected by one of the state’s most congested freeways and has a large, and growing state university and community college within our boundaries, bringing in daily commuters by the thousands.
We need real solutions to these problems; not unfulfilled campaign promises year after year.
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On December 10, 2021, the San Diego Association of Governments approved the 2021 Regional Plan, which is described as “a long-term blueprint for the San Diego region that seeks to meet regulatory requirements, address traffic congestion, and create equal access to jobs, education, healthcare, and other community resources.” The 2021 Regional Plan is the result of years of planning, constructed by true experts in the field of transportation, climate, and land use, and is designed to create a comprehensive transportation system that is fast, fair, and clean for all people in the greater San Diego region, including North County.
Among the many projects included in the 2021 Regional Plan is the North County Multimodal Corridor Plan, which includes major transportation and infrastructure improvements, including significant improvements to SR-78, where congestion is especially horrendous. Under the new Regional Plan, North County would receive new managed lanes on SR-78 and significant local street improvements, including Woodland Parkway and Barham. The plan also calls for NextGen Transit connecting Escondido to the coast through San Marcos and Carlsbad and up to Oceanside, and dramatically improved Coaster and Sprinter service. The expanded use of bicycles, e-bikes, and walking are also featured in the plan.
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Despite the San Marcos-specific improvements in the plan, Rebecca Jones voted against the plan, without ever offering her vision of a transportation future in San Marcos. She argues the plan doesn't "serve all of us" which contradicts the actual content of the plan. Thankfully, North County cities like Encinitas and Escondido (and many others) saw the merits of the plan and helped insure its passage.
Randy is committed to working with our regional leaders on this plan to modernize our transportation systems, improve public safety, reduce traffic congestion and emissions, and use technology to move people around the region.
The status quo is no longer sustainable. As your Mayor, I will work with North County leaders to fight for priority and ensure San Marcos residents are getting a fair deal under the regional plan.