Supervisors Dianne Jacob and Kristin Gaspar held a press conference on June 5. The conference was attended by Poway Mayor Steve Vaus, San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones, Santee Councilwoman Laura Koval, and Fire Chief Tony Mecham. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the work, or lack thereof, being done on State Highway 67.
Gaspar supported the taxpayers of San Diego in stating, “We’ve been paying for these noticeably absent improvements since I was seven years old. San Diegans are beginning to wonder where all of the money that has been siphoned out of their wallets has gone. Allow me to tell you. To date, 66 percent of these funds have been spent on mass transit projects. Only six percent has been spent on critical road and highway improvements. 14 of the 15 highway Improvement projects remain incomplete. This includes critical upgrades to the 52, the 78 and the 67. It is clear SANDAG has no intention of completing these projects.”
Payments have been made to SANDAG for the road improvements, but there has yet to be any work done. With Romona being one of the fastest-growing communities in the county, it is absurd that the road remains in its current condition.
Fire Chief Tony Mecham was there in support of improving Highway 67 because the citizens rely heavily on it as a roadway in and out of the area. With the condition and size of the road being in poor condition, their safety is at risk as well. The safety of our citizens should be a priority, and this unreliable road is a disaster waiting to happen.
SANDAG’s Executive Director Hasan Ikhrata’s plan to scrap all highway improvements to use the money for a radical mass transit system are rash and misguided. The highway plans are a vital investment to reduce commute times and help ensure that the citizens who rely on Highway 67 have a safe and efficient emergency evacuation route.
