Nov. 1 Tour of Proposed Ramona Evacuation Route Set Amid Criticism

Aiming to combat what one official called “mass confusion” about the proposed Ramona emergency evacuation route,  a public tour of the route has been set for 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 1.

The car-convoy tour is being organized by the Ramona Community Planning Group, along with the county.

After the tour, the public is invited to attend the planning group’s monthly meeting at 7 p.m. the same day at the library to give their comments.

People are asked to assemble near the gated access point off Montecito Way, just north of El Paso Street. Parking will be along Montecito Way.

The tour will consist of a caravan that will return to Montecito Way at completion, organizers said.

The new evacuation route would carry traffic from state Route 67 along an unpaved road for about a half-mile across property just north of the Ramona Airport owned by the Ramona Municipal Water District. The route dumps onto Highland Valley Road, which runs west into Rancho Bernardo (see attached map).

Some readers of Ramona Patch have shown resistance to the project, calling it a “death trap” due to the unpaved road and a fire hazard due to the tall brush that surrounds the route.

Others blame re-election motives behind the new route.

Water district General Manager David Barnum said he told planning group Chair Jim Piva that a “tour is critical” for the public as there seems to be “mass confusion” about the route.

SDG&E has offered to pay for and install three low-pressure sodium lights placed on poles along Rangeland Road and before the gate at Highland Hills to help light the way.

The water district still needs to bring the issue of the route to the water board since part of the route is on RMWD property.

Barnum said the water district will ask direction of the water board on the route Oct. 23 and invited the public to come to the meeting to comment.

“We certainly encourage everyone to come,” he said.

For more information on the Nov. 1 tour of the route, contact Kristi Mansolf, Ramona Community Planning Group secretary, at kmansolf@gmail.com or at 760-445-8545.