Carlsbad, CA
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National traffic safety trends show a dramatic increase in traffic-related deaths, with the first quarter of 2022 showing the highest number of deaths in two decades.
The City of Carlsbad's traffic safety emergency proclamation allowed us to focus increased resources and attention on the three Es of traffic safety, education, engineering and enforcement, using the framework of the Safer Streets Together Plan.
Slowing speeds to protect each other
At this week’s Traffic & Mobility Commission meeting, the Police Department shared the latest data on traffic collisions in Carlsbad. We are still seeing good progress on reducing injury collisions overall, but the number one cause of those collisions remains unsafe speeds.
How speed limits are set
- Most people think the solution to speeding is lowering the speed limit.
- With a few exceptions, state law says speed limits must be set based on how fast cars actually drive.
- Otherwise, it’s considered a speed trap, and the speed limit isn’t enforceable.
- This is why we first make changes to the road, designed to slow down cars.
- Then, once we can show a speed reduction, we can lower the speed limit.
There are several examples of speed reduction projects happening now:
Residential “traffic calming” program
The Traffic & Mobility Commission approved adding features to roads in four more residential neighborhoods at Monday’s meeting.
- This is part of a city program where our traffic engineers work with local neighborhoods that have concerns about speeding.
- Once we come up with a plan and make the changes, we do a follow up study to see if speeds have slowed down (they almost always have).
- We have 11 of these projects in the works currently.
- If you have speeding concerns in your neighborhood and want to find out more about this program, email traffic@carlsbadca.gov.
Slowing down along the coastline
Also at Monday’s Traffic & Mobility Commission meeting, city staff presented the findings of the latest speed study on Carlsbad Boulevard between Manzano Drive (just north of Palomar Airport Road) and Island Way.
- The southbound 1 mile stretch of roadway was restriped recently to reduce the vehicle lanes from two to one and expand space for walking and biking.
- These restriping projects are meant to narrow lanes cars use, which causes drivers to slow down.
- In this case, we were able to show enough of a speed reduction to recommend changing the speed limit to 45 mph from 50 mph.
- 5 mph might not seem like a lot, but it really makes a difference in terms of how long it takes to stop in an emergency and the injuries that could be caused if there were a collision.
East-west corridors restriping
Another project we developed based on the traffic safety emergency is to restripe our major east-west streets.
- This is the same premise as our other restriping projects you may have noticed around town in recent years (and more since last August).
- We are narrowing, and in some cases reducing, car lanes and expanding bike lanes and buffer areas between bike and car lanes.
- This work is starting next week and will continue for about six months.
- Once complete, we expect to see slower speeds and, ideally a reduction in serious injury collisions.
Reducing speeding on Tamarack
Just in time for the Aug. 23 beginning of the new school year, Tamarack Avenue between Skyline Road and Adams Street has some new features designed to slow down traffic.
- Starting last October, we have been working with the community to come up with a short-term solution to reduce speeding on Tamarack. Tamarack will eventually be reconfigured, but that project will involve construction and take longer to implement.
- In this case, we used speed bumps (okay, they are technically called “speed tables”) and raised crosswalks.
- The next phase will be to add flashing lights at the new raised crosswalks at Sunnyhill Drive and James Drive (across the street from Valley Middle School).
- We have signs up alerting drivers to the new features, so please keep an eye out if you are in the area.
More information
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Slowing down
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Designing for safety
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