The City of Carlsbad is asking the public to review two options for reconfiguring the busy intersection of Carlsbad Boulevard and Tamarack Avenue and provide feedback to the Traffic & Mobility Commission by Feb. 6.

Traffic & Mobility Commission
Monday, Feb. 6
4 p.m.
Provide input in person - Carlsbad City Hall, 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive
Email traffic@carlsbadca.gov 

Both options will address three important changes:

• Widening the walking path over the bridge just south of Tamarack Avenue
• Relocating the bus stop 
• Adding street parking

The options differ in how they manage traffic flowing through the intersection. One features a traffic signal and the other a roundabout. The city’s first roundabout is north of the project site at State Street, and the City Council has approved another roundabout at Cannon Road and Carlsbad Boulevard. 

The city began work on this project in 2016, getting input from the community then creating potential designs. After completing some additional technical work, city staff are now ready to move the project to the next step, which is review by the public and the Traffic & Mobility Commission.

This project is one of several that reflects state law and a City Council policy approved in 2015 to transform city roads into “complete streets.” Complete streets are safe and accessible to drivers, bicyclists, walkers and other road users. When most of the city’s streets were designed, the focus was mostly on managing car traffic.

Learn more about the options and see renderings. 

The Traffic & Mobility Commission agenda and agenda packet will be available no later than Friday, Feb. 3. Sign up to get notified. 

Next steps

• Traffic & Mobility Commission and public review
• Designs and input presented to the City Council 
• City Council chooses a preferred design
• The city will complete the final design, conduct an environmental analysis and put the project out to bid
• The soonest construction could begin is late 2025. The project is expected to take about a year to complete.

Traffic safety emergency

While this project was started before the city’s proclamation last August of a local traffic safety emergency, the project goals support the Safer Streets Together Plan. This plan was presented to the City Council Sept. 27, 2022, and includes education, engineering and enforcement strategies to ensure Carlsbad’s streets are safe and inviting for all users.

Learn more about the Safer Streets Together traffic safety resources, classes, projects and plan.

Related topics

What is mobility?
Reducing speeding
Designing roads for safety
Understanding roundabouts
Carlsbad Mobility Element