La Jolla Shores merchants upset over utility construction

By Ashley Mackin

After receiving notice Aug. 19 from the city about the schedule for the resumption of the Avenida De La Playa Infrastructure Replacement project and Group Job 809 in La Jolla Shores, residents and business owners held a meeting Aug. 21 in the Shoreline Kitchen restaurant. They met to discuss their fears surrounding the amount of time needed to complete the infrastructure improvement and the citys insufficient communications.

The memo announced that construction would resume on Avenida De La Playa on Sept. 2, after Labor Day (in accordance with the summer construction moratorium). Starting at the western intersection of Camino Del Sol, work would continue eastward block-by-block, installing box culverts on one block and concurrently replacing sewer and water lines on the street, with work on the last block scheduled to start in late November.

Special attention would be given to the annual Fall Fest block party in October. The new pipes inspection and final street paving is scheduled for February and March, 2015. The project first got underway Dec. 9, 2013 and was put on hold May 26 for the summer moratorium.

Surf Diva co-owner Izzy Tihanyi said construction and subsequent street closures would hurt businesses. A lot of merchants are worried because we have full-time employees we have to pay, who are supporting their families, she told La Jolla Light. Some merchants are wondering if they are going to have to lay off people we are left wondering if these businesses will survive, Tihanyi said.

Izzy Tihanyi, co-owner of Surf Diva, shares her concerns with the tentative schedule.

The website (established to provide updates) still says construction will be done by January. There were a lot of opportunities where the businesses could have been involved.

Steve Lindsay, Senior Construction Engineer for the City of San Diego, reminded those in attendance it was disclosed that work would start after the summer moratorium. Im not sure you didnt know the work was coming. Now that its here, its kind of scary for you.

Arguing it was not a matter of fear, but of awareness, Lucas countered, This has to go both ways here; youre telling us we should have known construction was starting after Labor Day, but in the same breath, you should have known construction was going to start after Labor Day and produced a tentative schedule months in advance.

Tim Lucas, La Jolla Shores Association chair, said communication between the city and local business owners is sub-par with this project.

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La Jolla Shores merchants upset over utility construction