At A Glance
"Death":
At A Glance |
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| Background: | Highway 252 was a freeway planned to connect I-5 and I-805 just south of downtown San Diego. It was a part of the San Diego County Regional Transportation Plan from 1958 to its ultimate deletion in 1994. It would have formed part of a bypass of I-5 through National City and Chula Vista, of which I-805 would have been a part. Only one part of it was ever constructed: the massive interchange with I-805 that is now the 43rd St. exit, which was done as a part of the contract for construction of the adjoining section of I-805. | |
| Cause of "Death": |
Highway 252 was ultimately deleted due to opposition from the neighborhood through which it would have passed. It was to have passed through a decaying minority neighborhood and the concern was that SR-252 would have been the final nail in the coffin for the livelihood of the neighborhood. | |
| Location: | Highway 252 would have been located in National City between I-5 at the interchange with SR-15 (future I-15) and I-805 at the 43rd St. interchange. | |
While Route 252 was never actually constructed and would have been less than two miles long, it has left a large mark. By far, the biggest remnant is the now 43rd St. / I-805 interchange which was built under the same contract as I-805 in 1972. This is why this huge interchange exists while the rest of the freeway does not. Other legacies of this doomed freeway include a mile long swath through the middle of Barrio Logan which has remained devoid of houses for many years and is now a park and the I-5/SR-15 interchange which would have included the I-5/SR-252 interchange.
43rd St. / I-805 Interchange |
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| As these pictures show, the 43rd St.
"off-ramp" is a rather massive structure. These pictures were taken as I was
driving over the flyover to I-805 north, which towers over ten stories above surrounding
neighborhood. Note the "Litter Removal Next 2 Miles" sign. Caltrans' loss was a windfall for the owners of the mall shown below. While many would decry the fact that it is ideally situated, being at the end of a major freeway off-ramp, the neighborhood leaders have pointed to it being a boon for the neighborhood. |
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