Cars keep tumbling downhill into popular La Mesa restaurant parking lot

Blake Hertel, manager of a restaurant complex in La Mesa, is pressing for a guardrail at the intersection of Fuerte Drive and Grossmont Boulevard to prevent vehicles from crashing into the parking lot. Since 2021, at least seven accidents have been documented, with the latest crash happening last month. Hertel initially raised his concerns to San Diego County Public Works in August 2021, and while the county confirmed the need for a guardrail, the project has yet to be funded. In January and February of this year, he contacted the county again, noting the ongoing danger that has persisted for over three years. In response to his media outreach, the county hastily installed reflective pylons, which Hertel argues should have been done much earlier.

Marisa Barrie, the new Director of Public Works, remarked that the county manages 2,000 miles of roads and has many competing priorities, including 76 unfunded guardrail projects. As the county struggles with limited resources, Hertel worries that a serious accident may occur if immediate action is not taken. The situation highlights the challenges local governments face in addressing safety concerns amidst numerous infrastructure demands.