New median to redirect traffic on Haun Road at Newport

Completion of a concrete raised median on Haun Road north of Newport Road took place last week. Menifee 24/7 photo: Doug Spoon

A raised median added to Haun Road north of Newport Road last week was constructed by the developer to improve an expected increase in traffic, a city official said.

Jonathan Smith, city engineer, said the concrete median is designed to direct cross traffic out of local businesses to a driveway north of the Davita Dialysis Clinic at 29878 Haun Road, where a traffic signal will be placed. Previously, motorists leaving the center south of the clinic from Yellow Basket and other businesses had difficulty turning left to head south on Haun Road.

"That median is being constructed by the developer of the Haun Professional Building," Smith said, referring to the office building north of the dialysis clinic -- a building Menifee City Hall is leasing for its move there next month. In addition to that new building, two medical buildings on that east side of the street are experiencing increased traffic.

"The amount of vehicles that will be coming to those buildings necessitated these kinds of traffic improvements," Smith added. "The property across the street from that is expected to have traffic impact as well. Each of those projects created the requirement."

A business development on the west side of Haun Road, north of America's Tire, was advertised as a new home for Smart & Final. However, a source told Menifee 24/7 that the developer of that project has experienced a delay that could affect Smart & Final's presence there. A statement on that situation is expected later this week.

"There are two driveways to those businesses," Smith said about the east side of the street. "The way that center was laid out, there's a main driveway intended to collect all the traffic from the Haun Professional Building and medical building along with traffic from Yellow Basket and other businesses, where everybody should be coming out. We didn't have enough traffic to require these kinds of improvements until now."

Patrons of Yellow Basket and other businesses near it must now take the driveway to the north, between the dialysis clinic and office buildings, to turn left and head south on Haun Road.