City staff provided an update to the City Council Tuesday recapping what was accomplished during the 12-month traffic safety emergency that ended Sept. 8 and a preview of what’s still to come.

City of Carlsbad proclaimed a local emergency on traffic safety Aug. 23, 2022, to address a more than 200% increase in collisions involving bikes and e-bikes since 2019. Under an emergency proclamation, a city can more easily redeploy staff and resources, expedite projects and increase engagement with community partners to address conditions threatening the community’s safety. 

With a full 12 months-worth of data, city staff compared injury collisions to the 12-month period before the emergency proclamation. The analysis found Carlsbad saw a measurable reduction in injury collisions over this timeframe: 

• 13% decrease in injury collisions across all modes of travel.
• 20% decrease in injury collisions involving bikes and e-bikes.
• 22% decrease in injury collisions involving pedal bikes.
• 18% decrease in injury collisions involving e-bikes.

Staff cautioned that because the total number of bike and e-bike collisions is relatively low compared to cars, any change will show up as a high percentage. For example, there were 100 injury collisions involving bikes and e-bikes from Sept. 1, 2021, to August 31, 2022, and 80 during the 12 months of the emergency proclamation.  For cars during that same time period, 2022 saw 354 injury collisions, with 308 during the emergency.

Projects completed
When ratifying the emergency proclamation on Aug. 30, 2022, the City Council approved emergency funding of $2 million to immediately launch education, engineering and enforcement actions to enhance traffic safety in Carlsbad. In addition to these immediate actions, the City Council approved a comprehensive Safer Streets Together Plan on Sept. 27, 2022, which included dozens of short- and long-term traffic safety-related programs and initiatives.  Some of the highlights include:

• Added and expanded bike lanes and sidewalks throughout the city
• 10 neighborhood speed reduction projects
• Over 100 projects to improve local roads and slow speeds
• Partnerships with all schools in Carlsbad to share information, hold safety trainings and host traffic safety assemblies
• A new permit program for local schools requiring students to complete safety training to park an e-bike on campus
• Work with state legislators to advocate for e-bike-specific traffic laws
• Enhanced enforcement and public education on traffic laws
• Hands on bike safety classes

Although the emergency proclamation has ended, the city will continue to prioritize traffic safety initiatives, including road projects, public education and targeted enforcement. Community members are still encouraged to take the pledge for safer streets in Carlsbad, joining more than 12,000 others who have stepped up to do their part for traffic safety. Yard signs and window clings will remain available at city offices and libraries.

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