Caltrans is finally bringing its plans for one of Ramona’s most notorious crash spots directly to the people who drive it every day.
The agency will roll out safety proposals for the intersection of State Route 67 and Mussey Grade Road at a public meeting on April 9, at the Ramona Community Library. The presentation is set for 6:30 PM and will include time for questions from residents and commuters.
Caltrans public affairs manager Steve Welborn and project staffer Jenny Yan are slated to lead the session. The agency plans to review collision data and walk through possible fixes before opening the floor for public input, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. Caltrans told the paper it will explain its recommendations and analyses and will factor public comments into its next steps.
The push for change follows a grim series of wrecks at the junction. A three-vehicle head-on collision on June 6, 2022, left a 90-year-old man dead, according to the Times of San Diego. A separate rollover on Sept. 19, 2022, killed a 68-year-old Ramona woman and renewed calls for action, as noted by California Highways.
Local Pressure And Years Of Pleas
Ramona residents and the Ramona Community Planning Group have spent years pressing Caltrans and county officials to fix the Mussey Grade intersection. Minutes from planning subcommittee meetings document repeated requests for repaving, right-turn lanes and a traffic signal, according to San Diego County. Those records show that community leaders asked Caltrans to send traffic engineers to local briefings and that multiple safety options have cycled through past agendas.
What Caltrans Is Putting On The Table
Caltrans lists several possible changes, from an all-way stop or traffic signal to right-out-only restrictions and single or multi-lane roundabouts. The agency says roundabouts in particular cut down on high-angle conflict points and typically lead to less severe crashes, a point Welborn highlighted in a March email, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. Officials told the paper they will present analyses of trade-offs, including cost and right-of-way impacts, so the community can weigh safety gains against other constraints.
Outreach materials list the district public affairs phone line, 619-688-6670, for anyone seeking more information about the meeting or the proposed options, per regional outreach documents. Caltrans says comments gathered at the April 9 session will be reviewed and considered as designs move forward.
For locals who navigate SR-67 through Ramona on a daily basis, the meeting offers a rare chance to hear directly what Caltrans thinks will make the Mussey Grade junction safer, and to press for details on timelines and next steps. Those who want to dig into the history can review the county planning minutes and Caltrans outreach materials linked above.
