Nautilus Street residents join calls for speed-cutting measures

Hoping to strike while the iron is hot, residents of Nautilus Street gathered at the La Jolla Traffic & Transportation Board’s September meeting to advocate speed-reduction measures in their neighborhood.

In recent months, residents of La Jolla Scenic Drive South, Prestwick Drive and La Jolla Boulevard have discussed what they view as unsafe road conditions with the T&T Board. The combination of “out of control” driving speeds and high pedestrian traffic were cited as major concerns.

Francis Vincent Costello, speaking on behalf of his Nautilus neighbors at the Sept. 16 meeting, said the convergence of a relatively high speed limit of 40 mph, the road design — with a relative lack of traffic interruptions such as lights or stop signs — and poor driver behavior has posed a risk to pedestrians, bicyclists and properties close to several schools.

The issue, he said, is exacerbated by a lack of curve warnings and a speed limit sign that residents say is obscured and poorly maintained.

Costello said he and his neighbors have tracked at least 13 accidents in the area since 2016, not including “close calls” and undocumented incidents. During his presentation to the board, he shared a pair of videos from 2022 and 2023, along with details of other major car crashes in the area.

The presentation included testimony from neighbors who called the crashes “horrifying” and “disturbing.” One said drivers speed at all times of the day and on all days of the week.

The neighbors said that since they’ve lived on Nautilus Street, traffic accidents have damaged property and caused significant injuries, though no deaths. T&T Chairman Erik Gantzel said speeding on that street led to the death of one of his friends 45 years ago.

“Thankfully, no one’s been killed [since 2016],” Costello said. “But we shouldn’t have to wait for that to fix [it] up.”

The residents pushed for three actions: lowering the speed limit to 35 mph; improving signage, including bike lane markings; and adding traffic-calming measures such as bike lane barriers or rumble strips.

Eventually, they hope to explore adding traffic lights or stop signs — measures that have gained significant interest elsewhere in La Jolla.

Gantzel said nothing should be off the table, though he noted that improving signage “is probably the easiest thing to do.”

“None of these signs or lowering speed limits are going to solve the problem completely,” Gantzel said. ”I think taking these small steps may solve a part of the problem or reduce the severity of the problem a little bit.”

At previous meetings, the idea of lowering speed limits drew mixed reactions. Some speakers argued it is a good place to start, while others said broader, less controllable issues such as driver psychology and lack of enforcement sustain the problem.

Traffic-calming measures such as electronic speed monitors, analog stop signs and speed humps require significant fundraising.

Mira Sanchez Costello, Francis’ wife, said she is highly motivated to organize neighbors and affect change.

Francis Costello told the La Jolla Light that he feels positive about the meeting and that his primary focuses in the short term are securing signs for the curve and advocating a lower speed limit. Longer-term solutions will continue to be on residents’ radar, he said.

He noted that previous attempts to bring up the issue as individuals often were met with inaction, so moving forward, he hopes residents can leverage their collective power.

Joaquin Quintero, La Jolla’s field representative for San Diego City Council President Joe LaCava, offered his help in evaluating potential signs.

And Gantzel said he would like the neighbors to return at a future meeting and discuss the possibility of a board letter of support for their efforts.

Next meeting: The La Jolla Traffic & Transportation Board next meets at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21, at the La Jolla/Riford Library, 7555 Draper Ave. Learn more at lajollacpa.org.