Let's be Safer Together, Carlsbad!

The City of Carlsbad uses the three Es of traffic safety -- education, engineering and enforcement -- to help ensure everyone uses local streets safely. Thanks to your support, it's working! Please continue to look out for one another, follow our safety tips and share your commitment publicly so others will do the same.

New e-bike laws

New e-bike laws are now in effect in Carlsbad. Here is what to expect: 

  • Anyone operating an e-bike must be at least 12 years old, as allowed by Assembly Bill 2234.
  • When a minor breaks the rules and creates an immediate or substantial public safety risk, their e-bike may be impounded. The minor must complete an in-person safety course to retrieve the e-bike, and a parent or guardian must be present when the e-bike is released. 
  • The Police Department can also impound e-motorcycles, which are not street legal. 
  • E-bikes are prohibited at Poinsettia and Pine Avenue Community Parks. 

Additionally, the city's previously existing laws have been updated to provide additional clarity on safe riding behavior, including:

  • Riders must go at a safe speed for the conditions, factoring in weather, whether pedestrians are present and how quickly other traffic is moving.
  • Riders under 18 years old must wear a properly fitted and fastened helmet.
  • Only e-bikes designed for passengers can carry more than one rider.

  • Parents are responsible for knowingly allowing their children to commit violations. 

E-bike chart with e-motorcycles

More information

E-bike laws overview
View the new ordinance  
Watch a recording of the City Council meeting 

Safety classes

Several organizations off bike and e-bike safety courses online: 

Help select artist for Barrio public art

Post Date:11/04/2024 10:29 AM

Last year, we received input from the community on the vision for the public art that will be featured in the center of a new traffic circle in the Barrio at Pine Avenue and Harding Street, one of the gateways into the Barrio. 

After issuing a statewide call for artists qualifications to recruit potential artists or artist teams for the project, the city received nine qualified applications. Now, we’re getting ready to select the artist. 

On Nov. 13, a Public Art Advisory Subcommittee made up of two community members, two members of the city’s Arts Commission and one arts professional, will meet for the first time to review the applications. 

  • The subcommittee will discuss and score each application. 
  • The goal is to narrow the field down to the top qualified artists who will be invited to make presentations at the next meeting, scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 19. 
  • The selected artist will gather public input to help shape the public art design concept in early 2025.

Public Art Advisory Subcommittee meeting
Wednesday, Nov. 13, 5 p.m.
Council Chamber
1200 Carlsbad Village Drive

The city’s website contains links to all the artist applications and agenda. You can also sign up for email updates about the public art project.

How to participate

  1. Provide feedback via email before the meeting to arts@carlsbadca.gov.
  2. Sign up to speak at the meeting on Nov. 13

How to watch

  1. Follow the meeting live on the city's website
  2. Watch a recording of the meeting afterward

Barrio art 

The city involved the community at the earliest stages of the project’s development to gather feedback about how the new art could best reflect the Barrio’s neighborhood identity and cultural and historic heritage.

Here is a summary report that includes some of the common themes heard so far.

Thank you for your support of the arts in Carlsbad. 

Related topics 

Barrio traffic circle project
Chestnut underpass public art
Art in Public Places program 

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