The College Area is the neighborhood surrounding San Diego State University, roughly bounded by I-8 to the north, College Avenue to the west, Lake Murray Boulevard to the east, and El Cajon Boulevard to the south. It is defined by one thing more than any other: SDSU and the 35,000+ students who attend classes, live in off-campus apartments, and park on every available surface within a mile of campus.
That student population creates a specific and predictable set of vehicle problems. Students typically drive older, higher-mileage vehicles, the 2012 Civic handed down from a parent, the 2009 Corolla bought for $4,000, the 2015 Jetta with 130,000 miles. These vehicles have aging batteries, worn tires, and deferred maintenance because students are on tight budgets. Dead batteries are the single most common call we get from the College Area. Lockouts are second, students rushing to class, juggling backpacks and coffee, locking keys in the car in apartment parking lots and campus-adjacent streets.
Beyond the student population, the College Area sits at the junction of I-8 and College Avenue, a stretch of freeway that carries tens of thousands of vehicles daily between Mission Valley and East County. Breakdowns on I-8 between the College Avenue exit and the I-8/I-805 interchange generate towing calls throughout the day and night. The on-ramp and off-ramp at College Avenue are particularly problematic, short merge distances and heavy traffic cause stalls and collisions regularly.
Game days at SDSU's Aztec Stadium (Snapdragon Stadium is the football venue at the Mission Valley site, but SDSU's on-campus events at Viejas Arena and other facilities still draw large parking volumes) create concentrated vehicle issues in temporary lots and residential streets where students and visitors park.
RJ Towing operates from 2881 G St, about 4 miles west of the SDSU campus. We reach the College Area via I-8 East to College Avenue, or via El Cajon Boulevard eastbound through City Heights. We have been the go-to tow company for SDSU-area vehicle emergencies for over 15 years.
