Kranz Makes Good on Pledge to Do Everything Wrong

“When I rode into a City Council seat on Lisa Shaffer’s coattails in 2012,” said Tony Kranz, “I committed to doing everything wrong. That meant I would have to throw city ordinances, residents’ input and common sense out the window. Now, in early 2021, I’m proud to say I’ve succeeded past my wildest imagination.

“The latest example of my success at wrongdoing is my proposal to install at-grade railroad pedestrian and bike crossings between La Costa Avenue and Leucadia Boulevard,” said Kranz. “Since a $13 million undercrossing at El Portal is under construction, no additional at-grade crossings are necessary south of Leucadia Boulevard. It’s only about half a mile from Leucadia Boulevard to El Portal and about another half a mile from El Portal to Encinitas Boulevard. From either direction, it’s a short walk to the El Portal undercrossing.

“Another undercrossing has been suggested for Hillcrest Drive and Grandview Street,” said Kranz, “but there are no plans or funding in the works, so it’s doubtful that project will get underway anytime soon. That makes at-grade crossings the way to go.

“Some people have said lowering the tracks from Encinitas Boulevard to La Costa Avenue and installing crossings from rim to rim would be a better solution,” said Kranz. “I know that’s what Solana Beach did and Carlsbad will do with SANDAG’s blessing, but I don’t have the balls to go for it in Encinitas and, besides, it would violate my pledge to do everything wrong.

“I have to stick with my militaristic attitude and blockhead thinking to keep my self-respect,” said Kranz. “That means keeping my pledge and that, in turn, means at-grade crossings between La Costa Avenue and Leucadia Boulevard.”