I got some more information on the Newport Road realignment project after speaking with George Wentz, our city manager.

Wenzt has been talking with Juan Perez with the county transportation department, and with the developer of Audie Murphy Ranch to come up with a way to improve traffic flow along Newport Rd and Goetz Rd, at least on temporary basis.

Refer to the diagram below.


Click to see larger image (opens new window)

The plan works like this...

• The existing Newport Rd will be renamed to Normandy Road, and will run both ways, eastbound and westbound.



• The realigned portion of Newport Rd will run one-way, heading eastbound. If you're coming from the I-15, you can take this road into Menifee.



• The Goetz Rd bridge will only accomodate southbound traffic. It will no longer support northbound traffic. This is because in order to open up the realigned Newport Rd, the bridge would have to be totally rebuilt, and there isn't enough money for that right now.
  
  
• The existing Goetz Rd will run southbound from Normandy Rd to the realigned Newport Rd. However, it will run northbound only from the Canyon Lake East Gate on up.



• Normandy Rd will end at Berea Rd. You'll have to jump on Berea Rd, and then turn on the realigned Newport Rd to get into Menifee.

Wentz said they are working a revised plan that will actually extend Normandy Rd into the realigned Newport Rd, so that we won't have to take Berea Rd. But this isn't final.

Apparently, the city has enough TUMF funds to put this "temporary solution" in place, and therefore, is moving forward on it. At very earliest, we might see this in place within six months.

If put in place, it will remain that way for about 2 or 3 years, maybe even longer, at least until the city collects enough money to make all roads bidirectional, or if the developer decides Audie Murphy Ranch is economically feasible to continue building.

Since this plan only makes the realigned Newport Rd one-way, I asked Wentz why not just leave the existing traffic flow untouched as it is now, until they have the money to make it bidirectional. He said that he thinks this temporary plan illustrated above will actually improve traffic from what we have now.

I think for most of Menifee, this plan will work fine, except for those people who live in the Menifee Hills development (off of La Ladera Rd). For them, if they're coming from the I-15, they won't be able to take Goetz Rd to Normandy Rd. Instead, they'll have to take realigned Newport Rd to Berea Rd, and head west on Normandy Rd. It's more of a pain, but not still not a long drive.

Labels: Audie-Murphy-Ranch, Goetz-Road, Newport-Road

Developers for the Audie Murphy Ranch project have again had to revise the date to begin construction of the bridge on Goetz Rd., moving it out to the beginning of June at the earliest because of requirements by a local water utility.
According to Dennis Chapman of Brookfield Homes, one of the two developers behind the project, the latest delay is the result of a requirement to relocate two Eastern Municipal Water District reclaimed water lines.The lines are constructed of a special material and, unfortunately, the turn-around time for delivery is about three months out, says Dennis.
The requirement came near the end of the approval process, catching developers somewhat by surprise. Dennis explains that, before any other work can take place, the lines must first be relocated; so the decision to postpone the work until June was made.
It is estimated that Goetz Rd. will be impacted for approximately one year while the road is widened to four lanes and a bridge is constructed to help alleviate flooding. Dennis indicated that as part of their permit approval, the County of Riverside also required them to submit a construction timetable, with financial penalties assessed for delays in completing the work as scheduled.
To read more of this go to http://www.thefridayflyer.com/FF-2008-2-29/FFS-8801.htm

Labels: Audie-Murphy-Ranch, Goetz-Road

The Press Enterprise Published this article.

The seven-month-long closure of a section of Goetz Road, the main thoroughfare connecting Canyon Lake and Quail Valley, promises to reroute commutes and challenge some area business owners.

The shutdown will create a temporary division between Canyon Lake and Quail Valley, causing residents of Quail Valley to take a 1 ½-mile detour if they wish to access Canyon Lake. Some residents of Quail Valley expressed discomfort at the thought of taking a different, slightly longer route to reach Interstates 15 and 215.

The closing of a small but well-traveled section of Goetz Road that stretches from Canyon Lake Drive to just south of Newport Road will allow work crews to start widening Goetz to four lanes and to build a new bridge that will eventually cross Salt Creek near the intersection of Newport and Goetz roads.

To read more go to http://www.pe.com/localnews/canyonlake/stories/ PE_News_Local_H_newport13.2455c86.html

Labels: Goetz-Road

Originally we said that the realigned Newport Rd was to open around the end of August, and here we are in October and it still hasn't happened.

The delay is due to a utility pole sitting in the middle of the gutter. You can see this pole on the side where WalGreens is. They can't open up this road until they move the utility pole. I don't know when that's going to happen.

Meanwhile, the Friday Flyer reports today that the planned closure of Goetz Rd has been moved back until Spring of 2008. This closure was scheduled to construct a new bridge over Salt Creek, right where it spills into Canyon Lake...

The revised schedule will allow for the full opening of all lanes on realigned Newport Rd. prior to any work beginning on Goetz Rd. It is estimated that Goetz Rd. will be impacted for approximately one year while a bridge is constructed to help alleviate flooding. However with all lanes open on Newport Rd., the work will require only a detour and not a full closure, according to Dennis Chapman of Brookfield Homes, one of two developers for the Audie Murphy Ranch project.

Read the full article...
http://www.thefridayflyer.com/FF-2007-10-5/FFS-7829.htm

Labels: Audie-Murphy-Ranch, Goetz-Road, Newport-Road

I was driving through Quail Valley to the little post office there, and noticed that stop signs were put in on Goetz Rd and Palm Dr.


I took this photo with my cell phone. Yeah, I'm one of those guys that drives and uses my cell phone at the same time, but I do it to bring you the news!

Sounds like the influx of new homes built there in Quail Valley, as well as those in Perris, are causing a lot of traffic along Goetz Rd.

Labels: Goetz-Road, Quail-Valley