Pechanga Parkway improvements in question

By: NICOLE SACK - Staff Writer
Construction may start in spring on vital roadway | Thursday, October 11, 2007 10:05 PM PDT ∞

TEMECULA ---- Improving Pechanga Parkway was a major issue on the minds of audience members at Thursday's Town Hall meeting at Wolf Creek Fire Station on the south side of the city.

Many of the meeting's 23 attendees wanted to know why the expansion of the congested road, which carries traffic to and from the Pechanga Resort and Casino, has not been completed.

The widening of Pechanga Parkway is identified as a $30 million project in the city's capital improvement program. It would create six lanes between the Pechanga Parkway Bridge near Temecula Parkway, formerly known as Highway 79 South, and Wolf Valley Road. The section of Pechanga Parkway from Wolf Valley southeast to Deer Hollow Way would remain four lanes, but undergo a variety of improvements.

Temecula Mayor Chuck Washington and City Councilman Mike Naggar, who headed the meeting, offered explanations on why construction has yet to begin, such as difficulties securing the right of way. Some, however, voiced dissatisfaction with those answers.

"If you look at this project and how long it has been needed, these are not good explanations for why it is not finished," said Volker Lutz, of Murrieta, who has a business in Temecula. "You have more and more homes coming in; more and more people using the road. At some point, you have to wonder about (city leaders') ability to do what they are supposed to do."

Dan York, deputy public works director for Temecula, said the city is still negotiating with a commercial property owner along the road to gain the needed right of way to begin the widening. He said he expects the project to go out to bid in January, with construction starting in spring 2008.

Temecula Assistant City Manager Aaron Adams said the construction period is expected to last 12 months.

People at the Town Hall meeting also questioned if the Wolf Creek housing developers did enough to make sure infrastructure was adequate before building homes.

The widening project will be mostly paid for by fees from the Wolf Creek development ---- approximately $18 million ---- plus $4.4 million from the Pechanga tribe, a $4 million federal grant and reimbursements from various other agencies.

Pechanga Parkway has been scrutinized lately as a new gambling deal with the state would allow the casino to add 5,500 slot machines to the existing inventory of 2,000. The expansion is expected to increase the number of visitors and vehicles traveling on Pechanga Parkway.

Thursday marked the third Town Hall meeting conducted by Washington and Naggar this year. The next scheduled Town Hall meeting is 7 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Harveston Lake House in northern Temecula.

Contact staff writer Nicole Sack at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2616, or nsack@californian.com.

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Luna Moona wrote on Oct 11, 2007 11:29 PM:Clearly the Council considered other projects to be more important. Think of all the effort and plans for the new city hall, the failed education center, Old Town beautification, Diaz Road rerouting, renaming SR 79 to Temecula Parkway, setting up a dog park, ....

Roy wrote on Oct 11, 2007 11:56 PM:No road improvements along with a lawsuit against an election on the compacts should mean a revolt against not only casino expansion but whether or not we should shut them down altogether. The arrogance of the casino fat cats is APPALLING.-

Starting To Question the Council wrote on Oct 12, 2007 12:40 AM:I thought the city said years ago that Pechanga Pkwy would be widdened before the Wolf Creek homes went in or were finished. Well Wolf Creek is almost sold out now. Why doesn't the city use eminent domain to obtain the property? Its only a few feet anyway. I'm starting to feel like this council is using the city for business deals rather than working for the city. They done a great job over the last years, but maybe it's time for some change on the council.-

What Happened? wrote on Oct 12, 2007 8:49 AM:I distinctly remember Mike Naggar touting how Temecula requires all road improvements to be done before development occurs. What happened with that or was he feeding the public a line of feel-good baloney to make it seem like they were doing something different than other cities? When politicians try to pander to the public by telling them things they can't deliver, it all comes back eventually.'

Just a thought wrote on Oct 12, 2007 8:55 AM:Do you really want the city to start invoking eminent domain whenever they need something? Shouldn't that be a LAST resort. I would think, if negotiations are progressing, even if slowly, that that would be better than just coming in and shoving the property owner out of the way saying "Oops, sorry we need that!"'

The Wizard of Oz wrote on Oct 12, 2007 10:28 AM:Well, starting to question the council, the council seats are an elected position, so good luck in getting a change on the council.-

Tony wrote on Oct 12, 2007 10:37 AM:Thank goodness for Pechanga and their large donation. The City just keeps building and building, but the developers are not expanding or developing their infrastructure along with their "fat cat" wallets. Roy is wrong; the arrogance is with the developers, not the casino. Pechanga has been doing their part in all this.-

Post Me wrote on Oct 12, 2007 11:53 AM:NC Times editors always seem to post comments from those who attack Pechanga for whatever reason. Then they block comments from those who defend Pechanga or side with the tribe. Pechanga is a good neighbor and continues to do good things for Temecula including contributing millions of dollars to expand a road that is being utilized by more and more City development. Don't blame Pechanga for the City's inability to negotiate fair development mitigations and thier subsequent lack of follow through with the mitigation remedies.

Roadblocks wrote on Oct 12, 2007 12:26 PM:Like residents near Pechanga would be better off under county control? The city does a great job, but that doesn't stop the complainers. It takes time and money to build roads and many cities don't have the money. At least this is still a work in progress. Move somewhere else if you can't stand the traffic of a successful city.

Amen wrote on Oct 12, 2007 1:22 PM:Roadblocks writes what really needs to be said. City management is a tough business that takes time and patience. Temecula is still the "jewel" of Riverside County. Consider yourself lucky to live here. If you don't like it, move someplace else.

Wow wrote on Oct 12, 2007 2:29 PM:Temecula is the jewel? I think Palm Springs would have something to say about that.

Temecula IS a jewel wrote on Oct 12, 2007 3:02 PM:Hello, don't people read about the good things that Pechanga does??? blame it on the minority huh? Anyway, if you don't like Temecula, leave.

Redhawk golfer wrote on Oct 12, 2007 3:02 PM:Hi All, nuf of the fightin'. I travel on this road quite a bit..Does anyone one know if this project will re-rout existing traffic? Meaning, will it close down for a yr.?

captain wrote on Oct 12, 2007 5:39 PM:Will the people who tout,'Love it-or- Leave it',please find another saying, this one's worn out and corny.

Roy wrote on Oct 12, 2007 6:37 PM:Tony the road improvement money keeps getting diverted by the State of California. So the overall issue is why expand the casinos and make traffic worse when the State habitually takes infrastucture money away and wastes it somewhere else. Until the State spends existing money as it is suppose to the answer is No! to the new compacts at existing casinos.

HELLOOOOOOOO! wrote on Oct 13, 2007 1:08 AM:Wolf Creek DID widen the road from two to four lanes and the bridge from two to potential for six lanes. It's the casino that is impacting the road now. If there were no casino, the road would easily handle the Wolf Creek traffic. Imagine another 50,000 cars per day on that road when the casino triples in size. The Federal Highway Administration is holding up the project now. STOP BLAMING THE CITY and WAKE UP! They are doing a great job. Blame the Indians and the Federal government!!!!

Hey Luna Moona wrote on Oct 13, 2007 1:12 AM:Did you know that the money being spent on the civic center CAN'T BE SPENT ON ROADS??? It's redevelopment money and MUST be spent on public infrastructure like a parking structure or affordable housing. If you're going to complain, at least do your homework. Another thing. Pechanga Parkway is FULLY FUNDED right now. The feds are holding it up.

Luna wrote on Oct 14, 2007 7:05 PM:My point was not lack of funding but inappropriate assignment of project priority. The Council is proud of getting a Mercedes dealer but denies that it can do anything to push for a medical center.

John wrote on Oct 20, 2007 9:53 PM:That's Pechanga main road and all they are going to contribute is 4 million?!! Do you have any idea what they make on a weekend? Fork up money for the main road YOUR customer base messed up!!! Oh that's right, you have to spend it on the golf course....CHEAP!!!!!

Gene P wrote on Oct 24, 2007 3:12 PM:Let'blame every thing on the casino. Look across the street at the 10,000 homes with 2 cars each. Why can we not STOP all this developemnt. The native wild life have no place to go (cyote,mountin lion,rattle snake) exept the Reservation.!!! Right on to ,what happend,tony,postme,amend,temecula is. Pechanga is doing more than their part for Temecula.

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