On Tuesday, the City Council approved several projects to enhance biking and walking in Carlsbad. These projects have been in the works and identified as priority projects to expedite in response to the traffic safety emergency. 

South Carlsbad Boulevard restriping 

Southbound Carlsbad Boulevard, from Manzano Drive to Island Way, will be restriped to create more space for biking and parking and leave one lane for traffic between Solamar Drive and Island Way. 

This project has been planned as an interim step in a long-term plan to move the roadway east to protect infrastructure against cliff erosion, but the timing moved sooner due to the traffic safety emergency. The restriping provides an opportunity to immediately make this segment of the coast more inviting for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians traveling along the coast. 

The restriping work will:

• Create one traffic lane with a buffered bike lane on southbound Carlsbad Boulevard between Solamar Drive and Island Way.
• Provide a shoulder on the west side of Carlsbad Boulevard that can be used by pedestrians.
• Add approximately 15 parking spots of parallel on-street parking adjacent to the existing parking lot north of Island Way, with a buffer between the bike lane and the proposed parking lane. (The existing angled on-street parking south of Solamar Drive will be maintained.)

The project was combined with several other traffic safety improvements to save time and money with contracting. Other traffic safety projects approved include:

• Adding green bike lane enhancements to highlight conflict areas at five intersections on south Carlsbad Boulevard
  • Lanikai Lane, Breakwater Road, Poinsettia Lane, Ponto Road and Avenida Encinas
• Adding dashed green paint to the bike lane on La Costa Avenue at the intersections of Piraeus Street, Saxony Road and El Camino Real
• Adding a bike lane on northbound Jefferson Street from Las Flores Drive to the I-5 overpass. The southbound bike lane on Jefferson Street will be extended to the crest of the roadway at the overpass
• Narrowing the eastbound travel lanes on Cannon Road to provide a bike lane and buffer between the I-5 northbound ramps and Paseo Del Norte.
  • Adding shared lane markings, called sharrows, on the middle of the three northbound lanes on Paseo Del Norte and on the middle lane of the three westbound lanes on Cannon Road approaching the I-5 northbound ramp intersection
  • Modifying the existing bike lane on westbound Cannon Road at the intersection of Paseo Del Norte to better position bikers to ride in the middle of the three lanes approaching the I-5 northbound ramp intersection

Next steps

• Construction is expected to start this fall and be completed by January 2023.
• Staff will continue to work on other traffic safety projects including a project that will enhance six crosswalks that already have rapid-flashing beacons along the northern part of Carlsbad Boulevard by adding pedestrian-activated in-pavement flashing lights, curb extensions, high-visibility markings and green bicycle lanes.
  • Between Mountain View and Cypress Avenue at the Army/Navy Academy
  • Oak Avenue
  • Sycamore Avenue
  • Maple Avenue
  • Cherry Avenue
  • Hemlock Avenue

More information
Staff report
Safer Streets Together 
South Carlsbad Boulevard Climate Adaptation

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