Public Works warns of full Rancho California ramp closure and Pauba street rehab; new assistant director introduced

Public Works staff alerted the commission to an upcoming full closure of the southbound Rancho California Road on‑ramp beginning the night after the meeting, scheduled for up to seven days as part of a Caltrans aux‑lane paving project.

Ron (Public Works) said the closure is a Caltrans project (not a city project), will operate 24 hours a day during the work period and is likely to have the greatest impact on morning commute traffic. He said the mid‑December work originally had been proposed but staff deferred it to avoid holiday impacts; the current schedule will nevertheless cause disruption for roughly one week.

Public Works also described a Pauba sidewalk and ADA upgrade project to close a sidewalk gap; the department will follow that work with a full pavement rehabilitation in summer, and the city intends to implement a road diet on Pauba (reducing the roadway from four lanes to two) once rehabilitation is complete. Ron said the road diet and related traffic changes will be coordinated with the newly formed traffic subcommittee and briefed to City Council.

Ron introduced Mohsin, the city’s new assistant director of public works (recently hired from the City of San Diego), who was present in the audience. Staff said Mohsin will participate in traffic and other project subcommittees where appropriate.

Commissioners were advised to expect public inquiries and service calls related to the ramp closure and other traffic impacts while the work is underway.