Description
This is a public safety and negative environmental impact concern. A growing number of homeless people have been illegitimately using public space to establish an encampment next to the I-5 North on-ramp (from Pershing Drive). The undergrowth in a grove of trees has been cleared out and multiple tents have been set up. The area is littered with increasing amounts of trash both within the grove and across the on-ramp in the median. Shopping carts are sometimes abandoned on or adjacent to the freeway. The growing population of homeless people living in this area of Balboa Park frequently emerge from their encampment and cross this busy freeway on-ramp, which is not only in violation of Vehicle Code Section 21960, but is also incredibly dangerous as motorists must swerve or slam on their brakes to avoid injuring these pedestrians on the freeway.
5 Commentaires
Alex Maitre (Invité)
I heard a spot on this on KPBS tonight during Midday's interview of Mayor Filner.
Crossing the ramp on a blind corner? Jewish....only a matter of time until there's a tragedy.
Street Service (Invité)
You can report this to SDPD at 619-531-2000.
Thank you,
Street Division
619-527-7500
Chris (Utilisateur inscrit)
This issue has been open for over 180 days. Phone calls have been made to numerous government entities, each of which appear to want to take the path of least resistance by assigning responsibility to each other. This issue impacts Balboa park (SDPD and SD County issue) and Interstate 5 (CHP).
At one point in March, a notice was posted by SDPD and the encampment was vacated for ~5 days. Since that time, the encampment has persisted.
The area has been blighted as trash, personal possessions, and living structures have taken the place of what was once dense vegetation in a forested area. People continue to emerge onto the highway merge area from this encampment, violating the law and posing an extreme danger to themselves and others. Only last week my girlfriend had to suddenly slam on her brakes for a person pushing a shopping cart across the on ramp into this encampment!
I can't imagine we're the only people who are dealing with this issue.
What does it take to get someone in the government to take appropriate and meaningful action to address this issue?
Chris (Utilisateur inscrit)
It took almost 2 years, but as of 11/10/2014, the encampment has been cleared out and cleaned up. It looked like the work was done by San Diego Street Division.
But don't get too excited...as of 11/24/2014, the encampment has begun to repopulate.
Who is accountable for preventing another 2 years of this safety and blight problem?
Clos Chris (Utilisateur inscrit)