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: 

New signal and crosswalk on Avenida Encinas

Post Date:01/16/2025 12:34 PM

A new traffic signal is turned on and a new crosswalk is now accessible this week along Avenida Encinas south of Poinsettia Lane, at the northern entrance to the shopping area.

  • The new crosswalk has an audible “WALK” voice when it’s safe for people to cross the street.
  • The signal will remain green until someone presses the button to cross Avenida Encinas and has the normal green, yellow and red ball traffic lights. This type of light was chosen for this location since it can be coordinated with the traffic signal at Avenida Encinas and Poinsettia to keep traffic flowing. 

About the project

  • The crosswalk and signal are the last of the improvements on Avenida Encinas between the Poinsettia coaster station and Carlsbad Boulevard to address unsafe speeds and help everyone get around the city in a safe and convenient way, whether driving, biking or walking.
  • See the full list of improvements below.
  • (Crews may still be seen over the coming weeks wrapping up).

The project is also a part of the county’s Coastal Rail Trail. The Coastal Rail Trail was initially planned in the 1990s as a continuous bicycle route that would run along the railroad tracks from downtown San Diego to Oceanside. According to SANDAG, logistics, costs and environmental concerns since its original planning have forced some areas of the route away from the tracks and onto side streets such as Avenida Encinas.

Using Avenida Encinas as part of the Coastal Rail Trail supports the city’s goals to design roads that can safely accommodate all modes of travel and improve access and connectivity. 

Phases construction Avenida Encinas map

Segment two (Coaster station to Carlsbad Blvd) improvements: 

  • Resurfacing and restriping to repair cracks and keep the road in top condition.
  • Managing speeding by restriping driving lanes to appropriate widths and reducing the number of driving lanes between Poinsettia Lane and Windrose Circle.
  • Installing a new mid-block crosswalk with a new signal at Avenida Encinas and San Carlos Street.
  • Painting new, wider buffered bike lanes with dashed green paint in areas where cars and bikes share the road (usually approaching an intersection to turn right).
  • Painting new high-visibility crosswalks and building new ADA-compliant ramps at: 
    • Poinsettia Coaster Station driveway 
    • Embarcadero Lane 
    • Macadamia Drive 
    • Raintree Drive 
    • Windrose Circle 
    • Dory Lane 
    • Poinsettia Lane 
    • San Lucas Street 
    • Portage Way 
    • Ponto Drive 
    • Carlsbad Boulevard 

Segment three (Palomar Airport Road to Coaster station)

Keeping Carlsbad in tip top shape  

Take a look at our latest map of major city construction projects, including ones that could impact traffic around town. It’s updated every week and shows projects like street repaving that may require temporary lane closures and detours. 

The map only shows major city construction projects. It doesn’t include work being done by utility companies or private developers.  

Return to full list >>