The City of Carlsbad is committed to improving mobility throughout the city so people can easily and safely get where they want to go through their choice of travel such as driving, biking or walking. 

The residential neighborhood around Kelly Elementary School is one of the locations where these types of improvements will be made. The project area includes Kelly Drive from El Camino Real to Park Drive and along Park Drive from Kelly Drive to Neblina Drive.

The project area covers a variety of unique uses for resident homes, a school, park and trail. Since project planning began in 2018, feedback from neighbors and the school community has helped the project team design improvements to:

• Slow down drivers to create a safe environment for people to walk, bike and drive
• Maintain and enhance parking
• Safely access school drop off and pick up
• Encourage safety for walkers with designated crosswalks
• Update the intersections with improved intersection designs

Proposed design features

• Two roundabouts at Kelly and Hillside drives and Kelly and Park drives, replacing the object markers that are currently in place
• New buffered bike lanes along Kelly Drive from El Camino Real to Hillside
• Dedicated southbound right turn lane from Hillside into the school parking lot, new lane for through-traffic
• Raised median on Kelly Drive across from the school parking lot to facilitate right turn only out of school
• Maintained northbound left turn lane into school
• Realigned, raised crosswalks
• Reversed angle parking in front of Laguna Riviera Park
• Speed cushions in both directions on Kelly and Park to slow traffic
• Narrowed driving lanes
• Enhanced sidewalks and crosswalks
• New bikes lanes
• Protected multiuse trail
• Trail connection to Agua Hedionda Lagoon

The City of Carlsbad is committed to improving mobility throughout the city so people can easily and safely get where they want to go through their choice of travel such as driving, biking or walking. 

In April and May 2022, the city sought input from the Carlsbad community about specific areas including: 

• Bike and pedestrian pathways on Kelly Drive from Hillside to Park and on Park Drive from Kelly to Neblina
• Traffic intersection control at Kelly and Hillside 

View the public input report summarizing the key themes and feedback received. 

Community feedback was used to select recommended designs for bike lanes and the traffic intersection control.

• Staff are preparing plans, specifications, technical studies and cost estimates for construction.
• Additional technical studies will be presented to the Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission in 2024. 
• Construction phase timing will be further developed during the completion of the environmental permitting.

Aug. 22, 2023 | City Council
The City Council directed staff to return to the City Council to have a full discussion on information related to pending design. 

Dec. 5, 2022 | Traffic & Mobility Commission
Staff presented public input on the bike lane options along Kelly and Park and traffic control options for the intersection of Kelly and Hillside and staff's recommended designs. 

Aug. 2, 2021 | Traffic & Mobility Commission
Staff presented information and sought input on the Kelly Drive and Park Drive Complete Street Improvements project.

July 6, 2021 | Traffic & Mobility Commission
Staff presented and sought input on the Sustainable Mobility Plan Active Transportation Monitoring Program Data Collection Plan that includes Kelly Drive from El Camino to Hillside as one of the 28 locations studied.

Sept. 12, 2017 | City Council
The City Council approved a Professional Services Agreement for the preparation of technical studies and plans.