Fallbrook leaders are asking the county to consider traffic calming measures near a recently opened park.
Village View County Park sits atop a hill, and it wasn't until after the park opened earlier this month that the problem became apparent β drivers coming up the hill may be blinded by the sun's glare.
"You don't really know what the need is going to be until you build it," said Roy Moosa, a Fallbrook Planning Group member. "And then you suddenly realize, 'Oh, this is going to be a traffic problem.'"
Moosa, who is also the head of the Planning Group's Circulation Committee, said the other problem is that drivers may not be able to see the crosswalk until they've cleared the hill, and by that time, it may be too late.
"By the time you see a pedestrian at the speed you're going, it could lead to an accident," he said.
Members of the Planning Group want the county to consider the safety measures that could be taken. Some have suggested putting in a traffic signal, but a county spokesperson said a study done during the approval process suggested that a flashing beacon would be more effective than a traffic signal.
"Since the opening of the park, the county has been studying actual park-visitor traffic to validate the initial recommendation and, if necessary, make any needed changes, including recommending a traffic signal," Donna Durckel, communications officer for the county's Land Use and Environment Group, said in an email. "A traffic signal cost is estimated to be $1.5 million."
In the meantime, she said the county is adding flashing lights, widening the crosswalk and relocating some signs for better visibility. Moosa said the problem remains the same: the lights won't be visible until after drivers crest the hill.
"Again, it's at the top of the hill, and that speed the cars are going, it's dangerous," he said.
He thinks the county should consider lowering the speed limit around the park. The speed limit for East Fallbrook Street, the road in front of the park, is 40 mph, which was set before the park was built. Assembly Bill 43 allows the county to reduce the speed limit by 5 mph on roads near "pedestrian and bicycle generators."
"A regional public park such as Village View Park would meet that definition," Durckel said. "Revised speed limit signs could be approved and installed as soon as April 2026."
