The City of Menifee will hold an open house and scoping meeting July 21 to discuss Caltrans’ plans for a new 215 Freeway interchange planned at Garbani Road. The meeting will take place from 5-6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 29844 Haun Road.
This project has been in Caltrans’ planning pipeline for several years. It is designed to give motorists another entrance and exit point to the freeway and provide another bridge across the freeway, helping further spread out traffic flow in the area.
“Multiple interchange design alternatives are currently under consideration by the City and Caltrans,” a City of Menifee announcement stated. “The scoping process provides the opportunity for input by the public, agencies and interested parties on the design alternatives under consideration.”
According to Caltrans, the interchange project satisfies the requirement of being at least one mile from the nearest interchanges (Newport Road and Scott Road).
Road geometry for that stretch of the freeway states that Garbani Road is 1.2 miles from the Newport Road interchange and exactly 1 mile from the Scott Road interchange. Some residents have suggested that Craig Avenue would be the better location, but geometry states that Craig Avenue is just .6 miles from the Newport Interchange.
The project will reconstruct Garbani Road to provide a continuous roadway supporting auto, bicycle and pedestrian travel across the freeway. Currently, Garbani west of Haun Road is a dirt road that dead-ends before the freeway. On the east side, Garbani dead-ends into Antelope Road adjacent to the freeway.
One resident who lives in that area recently pitched an idea in an email to Mayor Ricky Estrada, other City Council members, and the lead on the Caltrans project. He suggests an interchange design that will preserve at least part of the site of the Kittilson-Brown homestead, which was established in the 1890s and is still marked by a large grove of trees planted on the 160-acre homestead site. The site is marked by a historical marker near the southeast corner of Garbani Road and Antelope Road.
Kittilson and his wife Myra lived on the ranch and were eventually joined by William Brown and his new wife, Norma Kittilson (wife of Andrew and Myra). A video about the story of the Kittilsons can be viewed here, thanks to the Menifee Valley Historical Association.
“I have lived in Menifee for the last 42 years and I’m a 4th grade teacher at Freedom Crest Elementary School in Menifee,” wrote Christopher Ripko in an email to the City. “I live with my family on Palomar Road, which is just around the corner from the proposed Garbani interchange.
“I’m somebody who has personally witnessed the enormous changes to our community over the last few decades. We’ve gone from a small farming town to one of the fastest growing cities in all of California. While I will admit that I am sentimental of my rural upbringing, I truly understand the importance of investing in infrastructure to support our growing community. However, I also believe in balance.
“The proposed location includes the Kittilson/Brown Homestead historical site and surrounding oak grove. This is a beautiful area that is filled with abundant wildlife, seasonal ponds, and a rich history tied to some of our city’s earliest settlers. In my humble opinion, it’s one of the last wild places in our community that’s worth saving. So what am I proposing? Balance.
Build the large interchange, but set aside the Kittilson/Brown Homestead and the surrounding lush oak groves for a large regional park with a lake. Build trails for hiking and biking. Put up signs that teach visitors about the history of the site, the plants, and the wildlife that call that area their home.
“Let’s face it, Menifee is in the middle of a real identity crisis! Temecula has old town and wine country. Lake Elsinore, Perris, and Hemet all have large lakes for water sports, fishing, and recreation. Menifee should take advantage of this enormous opportunity to help set us apart from the communities in the surrounding area.”
Ripko produced a video showing the area as it looks today. You can view that video here.
Chris Ripko video on Kittilson—Brown homestead
