Murrieta traffic commission approves Kingwood Road pickup/drop-off lane near Buchanan Elementary

The Murrieta traffic commission on Nov. 19 unanimously approved a staff plan to add a designated pickup and drop-off lane with new signage on Kingwood Road between Torrey Pines Road and Tennyson Road to ease congestion near Buchanan Elementary School.

Staff traffic engineer Ida Edgington presented the recommendation, saying the proposal would provide a 12-foot northbound travel lane and a 10-foot parking lane designated for passenger loading only during school hours. "This area, which is about 300 feet or so, would be restricted to regular parking between 7AM and 3PM on school days," Edgington said. She added a center stripe would be installed to improve traffic flow and that signage would enforce the passenger-loading restriction.

Edgington said the Murrieta Valley Unified School District requested staff evaluate several options after anticipating increased enrollment at Buchanan Elementary. One option—to create an exit from the Vintage Park parking lot onto Torrey Pines Road—was ruled not feasible because of a substantial grade difference and potential circulation problems in the park parking area. The district instead proposed building an ADA-accessible pedestrian walkway and gated connection from Vintage Park to the school; Edgington said the district will install that walkway and that its budget is separate from the city's striping work.

Commissioners asked staff whether parking is currently allowed along the proposed striping zone and about the project timeline. Edgington confirmed informal parking exists there now and estimated striping could occur "in a couple of months," but said the schedule could be longer if the district’s walkway must be completed first. Staff also noted the easement and gate work for the walkway had been previously approved by the city council, and this action would be the next step to implement the street changes.

Some commissioners raised circulation concerns for nearby streets, including North End Drive—described during the meeting as a dead-end that terminates at a gated connection to Temecula—and asked how drivers might navigate to exit the neighborhood. A commissioner also asked whether a crosswalk would be added at a nearby 44-foot location; staff replied pedestrians would use the nearest intersection at Torrey Pines and no new crosswalk was planned at that specific spot.

A motion to approve the signing and striping recommendation was made and seconded; the commission voted to approve the staff proposal unanimously. The commission did not specify exact construction dates beyond staff’s general timeline; staff said they will monitor traffic after installation and make adjustments if needed.