proximity to that city. The environmental impact report was found to be deficient by the Federal Highway Administration in late 1986. In January 1987, the Santee City Council voted to commence a study of a more northern route, even though local residents and workers objected that this would postpone construction. In March, the study, done by BSI Inc., supported the Caltrans decision to abandon plans for the northern path due to the increased cost from the "mountainous, undeveloped" terrain. The council voted to support a southern alignment through the town, with both the Prospect Avenue and San Diego River alternatives still viable. In the same month, the mayor of La Mesa, Fred Nagel, started a petition drive supporting the extension of the freeway due to the recurring traffic on I-8. The Caltrans environmental impact report indicated that the Prospect Avenue route would cost $89 million (about $ in dollars), compared to the river route's $121 million (about $ in dollars). The city council of El Cajon publicly supported the Prospect Avenue routing; however, some employees of the City of Santee, including some city planners and engineers, were concerned that portions of the report were "outdated." The petitions were given to the CTC in May, when San Diego officials made several arguments in support of the construction. In June 1987, the CTC staff initially recommended against allocating money for the SR 52 segment; however, SANDAG agreed to fund the project with $1 million (about $ in dollars). Residents of Santee opposed the possible routes through the city at a public forum on June 10 because of the necessary destruction of homes to build on those routes. In late June, Caltrans considered making small modifications to the Prospect Avenue alignment to destroy fewer homes, including those in mobile home parks. On June 25, 1987, the CTC voted to support the SR 52 extension, with the requirement that $4.8 million (about $ in dollars) come from local funding sources. Finally, on September 23, the City of Santee recommended the Prospect Avenue Route to the CTC. In July 1987, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service expressed concerns that construction near the San Diego River crossing might result in the destruction of the endangered least Bell's vireo habitat. Two of the four alternative routes considered by Caltrans passed through the Carlton Hills golf course, which the public opposed. In April 1988, the Sierra Club denounced