Traffic woes remain as road repairs continue
Traffic congestion will haunt Scripps Ranch drivers again on Tuesday, May 23, as repairs are expected to continue for the fifth day along Scripps Ranch Boulevard and a corner of Scripps Lake Drive – the result of a water main break that began the morning of Friday, May 19.
The water main break not only halted traffic in the area, but caused a sizeable sinkhole on the eastern corner of the intersection of Scripps Lake Drive and Scripps Ranch Boulevard near Scripps Ranch High School.
The flooding and subsequent repair work surprised motorists Friday morning, especially those trying to drive to Scripps Ranch High during school rush hour.
Numerous versions of city trucks, vans and excavating equipment appeared along a large section of Scripps Ranch Boulevard and several nearby streets throughout the weekend as city crews attended to what appears to be a large and complicated task. Although crews worked throughout the weekend, traffic closures again hampered motorists on Monday morning causing huge lines of cars and even affecting the eastern portion of Mira Mesa Boulevard.
One lane of traffic going southbound on Scripps Ranch Boulevard was partially opened with a one-block detour through Hibert Street and Treena Street, with southbound traffic emerging back onto Scripps Ranch Boulevard at the northeast corner of the high school by Friday afternoon; and the detour remains in effect.
One portion of the affected northbound lane of Scripps Ranch Boulevard was opened, but only as far as Meanley Drive in an attempt to allow parents to pick up students after school. The same access continued as of Monday night.
The partial and full closures of lanes along Scripps Ranch Boulevard forced many drivers to attempt a detour through the north-south portion of Hibert Street that goes through the shopping area where Trader Joe’s is located. A solid line of vehicles going both directions on this portion of Hibert Street remained for 30 minutes after high school classes began on Monday. The resulting increase in traffic also jammed the ramp where drivers exit I-15 onto Mira Mesa Boulevard.
Similarly, the additional traffic feeding onto I-15 north from Carroll Canyon Road caused a long line of cars jamming the exit back onto Mira Mesa Boulevard. This increase in traffic was caused by the fact that the northbound lanes of Scripps Ranch Boulevard are closed at Meanley Drive. This effectively cuts off a major thoroughfare between north and south Scripps Ranch. Drivers wishing to head to norther Scripps Ranch may either get on I-15 north from Carroll Canyon Road and exit at Mira Mesa Boulevard, or take a long, circuitous route to the east and then to the northern areas of the community.
