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: 

Plan ahead for road construction

Post Date:03/20/2025 11:00 AM

Our weekly construction map is updated with anticipated construction work next week to help you avoid or minimize traffic delays and detours that often come with construction. Next week’s projects may impact traffic a little more as the city moves on to the next phase of repairing nearly 40 miles of neighborhood and main city streets like segments of Calle Barcelona and El Camino Real. 

Here’s what to expect

  • Lane closures will impact traffic
  • Give yourself plenty of time to get where you need to go 
  • Watch for digital message boards with the latest construction dates as work will continue toward the summer
  • We’re aligning road repairs along areas with schools to be during spring break 
  • The city is not planning any night work, and we are not permanently reducing car lanes on these streets

Repairing our roads require several steps with crews leaving and coming back to the same area multiple times, so even though a road may look ready, lanes may still be closed.  

  • First the street needs to be prepped by grinding down and repairing certain areas and sealing cracks.
  • Then, it’s ready to be resurfaced. We try to resurface one lane or one side at a time so traffic can still get through. When one side is done, we switch to the other side.
  • The new surface needs a little time to cure or dry before it’s ready for new striping.
  • Completing all the striping usually takes between two to four weeks. That’s why you will see temporary lane markers right after a street is resurfaced.

We appreciate your patience on your commutes and watching your speed in construction zones. Remember, the map only shows city projects. It doesn’t include construction projects by local utilities, private companies or other agencies.   

 

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