State Route 94

EVACUATIONS AS HOMES THREATENED BY FIRE BURNING NEAR BARRETT JUNCTION TOWARD POTRERO

 

Update 5:07 p.m. -- The fire has swelled to 1,400 acres, per Cal Fire.  Camp Lockett in Campo is now accepting large animals from the fire.  There are 2 evacuation centers - Jamul Casino and Camp Lockett. Do NOT go to Potrero County Park announced earlier.  Coyote Holler is now being evacuated due to shifting winds, a resident has informed ECM.

Update 4:20 p.m. -- A VLAT (very large air tanker) has been ordered.  Resources are requested from as far away as Arizona.

Update 3:45 p.m. -- Cal Fire reports the fire has burned 100 to 150 acres and destroyed a structure; it is spreading at a critical rate of speed.

Evacuation centers are being set up at Jamul Casino; if you cannot safely reach there, an alternative evacuation point is at Potrero County Park (24800 Potrero Park Dr.) in Potrero.

East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts

August 31, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) Cal Fire is at the scene of a vegetation fire near Highway 94 and Barrett Lake Road. The #Border32Fire is 30 acres with immediate structure threat, burning eastward. A type 1 strike team has been requested to be dispatched to Potrero, scanner traffic indicates.

The California Highway Patrol is shutting down State Route 94 between Marron Valley and State Route 188.

Cal Fire urges people to evacuated from the followin areas (map updateed 4:20 p.m.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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DAYTIME ONE-WAY TRAFFIC CONTROL ON HIGHWAY 94 IN DULZURA STARTS WEDNESDAY

Source: Caltrans

March 12, 2019 (Spring Valley) -- Caltrans  crews will reduce a quarter-mile section of State Route 94 (SR-94) to one lane just east of Freezer Road in Dulzura (south of Jamul) weekdays, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. beginning Wednesday, according to Caltrans.

The lane reduction is needed for work along the north side of the highway as part of the SR-94 Curve Realignment Project.


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CALTRANS RESPONDS TO QUESTIONS RAISED ON STATE ROUTE 94 IMPROVEMENTS

 

By Miriam Raftery

July 28, 2017 (Jamul) – Earlier this month, we covered concerns raised by Jamul community members and Supervisor Dianne Jacob over highway safety concerns on State Route 94 since the Hollywood Jamul-San Diego Casino opened and on delays in improvements planned on State Route 94.

In response to our inquiry, we received a statement issued by Caltrans, as well as additional remarks from Caltrans public information office Cathryne Bruce-Johnson.

Below is the statement:


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CRASHES CONCERN RESIDENTS NEAR CASINO

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy Deerhorn Valley Antler

October 16, 2016 (Jamul) – Since Monday’s opening of the Hollywood Casino in Jamul, several motor vehicle accidents have occurred along State Route 94, heightening residents’ concerns over safety.

The following details are based on a combination of California Highway Patrol incident reports online and eyewitness accounts published by the Deerhorn Valley Antler and its Antler Alerts.


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JAMUL TRAFFIC IMPROVES AFTER CASINO OPENING, BUT SOME PROBLEMS REMAIN

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photos courtesy of  E.  Rullet and Deerhorn Valley Antler

October 13, 2016 (Jamul)—Monday’s grand opening of the Hollywood Casino in Jamul caused traffic backups of several hours.  On Tuesday,  residents report delays were reduced to 15-30 minutes for those seeking to run errands in the rural town of Jamul,  still a hassle for residents who long opposed the casino. Illegal parking along State Route 94 and side roads continue to pose problems, though authorities have begun ticketing vehicles.

Parents have voiced concerns over safety of students at Steele Canyon High School’s homecoming football game and dance this weekend, the first weekend the casino will be in operation.  The traffic and parking issues could also negatively  impact JamulFest Sunday, where Lyons Valley Road closes for a parade and parking is tight even in prior years.


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CASINO OPENING IN JAMUL CAUSES TRAFFIC NIGHTMARES FOR RESIDENTS

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photos courtesy of Deerhorn Valley Antler and Ray Conser

October 11, 2016 (Jamul) – Opening of the Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego yesterday caused extreme traffic delays of to several hours, according to the California Highway Patrol and residents.  The Deerhorn Valley Antler reported 2-4 hour delays.  Traffic on State Route 94 (Campo  Road)  was  backed up for  many miles, all the way from Otay Lakes Road in the south and from  Kenwood Drive in Spring Valley in the north.Side roads such as Lyons Valley Road and Skyline also became jammed.

CHP’s incident page logged multiple complaints of motorists parking on both sides of  highway 94 and other nearby streets illegally after the casino parking lot, which holds 1,800 vehicles, filled to capacity. There were reports of  vehicles making illegal U-turns, passing illegally, and making right turns from a left-hand lane, as well as motorists walking along the roadway.  One caller voiced distress, reporting that her vehicle overheated and her daughter was home along,  per the CHP log. On Brush Fire Partyline’s  Facebook page, Melissa Woodall worried about her children stuck in traffic on a school bus with no air conditioning. John MJodline wrote that it took two hours to get his son at Steele Canyon High school, where dozens of kids were stranded waiting for parents and some students crossed a dangerous thoroughfare.


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MOTORCYCLIST HITS TREE, SUFFERS SERIOUS INJURY NEAR CAMPO

 

East County News Service

August 12, 2016 (Campo) — A 25-year-old motorcyclist from San Diego struck a tree of State Route 94 in Campo this morning shortly after 10:30 a.m., suffering serious injuries.


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CALTRANS CLEARS WAY FOR HIGHWAY 94-125 CONNECTOR

 

East County News Service

 

January 27, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has determined that a proposed direct interchange to connect State Routes 94 and 125 would have no significant environmental impact. 


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DRIVER KILLED IN HIGH SPEED CRASH IN SPRING VALLEY

 

East County News Service

January 11, 2016 (Spring Valley) — A 30-year-old El Cajon woman lost control of the Honda Civic that she was driving westbound on State Route 94 at 2:35 p.m. today and crashed down an embankment at the State Route 125 junction, striking a tree.  The driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, died at the scene.


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CHP AND SUPERVISOR JACOB RESPOND TO ECM INQUIRY ON 10-HOUR CLOSURE OF HIGHWAY 94

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Joseph Zatarain, Potrero Town on Facebook

August 18, 2015 (Jamul) – On Sunday, we reported on a 10-hour closure of State Route 94 last Friday due to a head-on collision involving a semi-truck that left many local residents stranded and angry by the long delays.  Our story included documentation of numerous past lengthy closures on the highway in the Jamul area provided by the Deerhorn Valley Antler editor.We asked the California Highway Patrol and Supervisor Dianne Jacob for comments on this serious issue.

Supervisor Jacob responded,  “The public has every reason to be outraged, given the length of the closure, the dangerously high temperatures that day and the lack of communication from state authorities. I will be sharing those concerns with the Caltrans, CHP and other state officials. Drivers are already at risk on this dangerous and congested state highway, and the situation will become even more dangerous if a casino opens. Thousands of lives are at risk in the event there is a need for an evacuation of the area with nowhere to go."

Kevin Pearlstein, public information officer for the California Highway Patrol in El Cajon, today advised East County Magazine that the delay was due in part to the truck shifting and dropping part of its load. 

"The truck was carrying a form of coal.  When the trailer opened up like a aluminum can it spilled everywhere," he said, adding that the prolonged road closure was due to cleanup of the coal spill.  The accident caused five injuries,two major and three minor to moderate, he added, and providing additional details:


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RESIDENTS SEEK ANSWERS AFTER 10-HOUR SHUTDOWN OF HIGHWAY 94

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photos: Joseph Zatarain, Potrero Town on Facebook

August 16, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) --Friday, August 14th was a rough day for motorists in East County. A motorhome sparked a dozen spot fires along 67, forcing closure of the highway and long delays for motorists while firefighters worked to douse the blazes.

Even longer delays were experienced by motorists along Highway 94, which was shut down for roughly 10 hours along the key border-region artery after a semi-truck collided head on with a vehicle carrying several passengers and rolled over.  Inadequate notifications from official channels left motorists stuck in traffic for hours during extreme heat of over 100 degrees and an ambulance was forced to take a lengthy detour.

“Something is wrong here,” says Kim Hamilton, Editor of the Deerhorn Valley Antler. The publication's Antler Alerts  provided the most reliable source of information for the public during most of the extended shutdown.  “Not only was the primary artery and evacuation route closed, but there was little media coverage of it while it was taking place.”


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CALTRANS TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING JULY 24 IN SAN DIEGO ON FREIGHT MOVEMENT PLAN

 

By Miriam Raftery

June 22, 2014 (San Diego) – Caltrans will hold a public workshop July 24 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Caltrans office complex in San Diego (Garcia Room), 4050 Taylor Street.  The transportation agency seeks public comments on a draft California Freight Mobility Plan that aims to improve freight movement and reduce environmental impacts on the state’s highways, seaports and railways.


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OH DEER: MOTORCYCLIST DIES AFTER STRIKING ANIMAL

 

By Miriam Raftery

May 8, 2014 (Potrero) –Stefan Courtney Lowe, 45, of Potrero was killed in an accident in Dulzura at 4:45 a.m. after he struck a deer that ran out in front of him.


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EL CAJON MAN DIES IN MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT

 

By Miriam Raftery

April 19, 2014 (El Cajon) – Egon Karl Vanderlee, 52, of El Cajon has been identified by the San Diego County Medical Examiner as the victim who died in a fatal collision on April 11.  The accident occurred at the westbound State Route 94 transition to southbound State Route 15 at 5:25 p.m.


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VICTIM OF WRONG-WAY DRIVER WAS LA MESA RESIDENT

 

March 12, 2014 (La Mesa) – The Medical Examiner has identified John Mathew Hajosy, 28, of La Mesa as the driver killed by a wrong-way driver on State Route 94 shortly after 2 a.m. on February 23.


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