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 effective March 26, 2026 

The Carlsbad City Council formally adopted new e-bike laws at its meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 24. The news laws are in effect as of March 26, 2026, starting with a 60-day warning period.

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

The Carlsbad Police Department hosts quarterly bike and e-bike safety classes. Sign up to be the first to know when new classes are added.

Online resources are also available: 

Final design for Barrio traffic calming

Post Date:11/20/2025 4:56 PM

More than 40 high visibility crosswalks, four all-way stop signs and a traffic circle will be installed in the Barrio under a plan to reduce speeds in the neighborhood the City Council approved this week.

The design, based on a concept the City Council approved at its Sept. 9 meeting, features:

  • New all-way stop signs at four intersections: Oak Avenue and Jefferson Street; Chestnut Avenue and Madison Street; Chestnut Avenue and Roosevelt Street; and Magnolia Avenue and Madison Street
  • 43 new high-visibility crosswalks
  • One raised crosswalk at Madison Street at Pine Avenue that’s similar to a speed cushion with a painted crosswalk on top
  • Six rectangular rapid flashing signs, which light up to alert drivers when someone is crossing
  • One traffic circle at Pine Avenue and Harding Street with future artwork previously approved by the City Council during its July 29 meeting

In the final design, the raised crosswalk at Madison Street and Pine Avenue was relocated to the north side of the intersection to address potential drainage issues.

Map showing locations of proposed traffic calming measures in the Barrio

Next steps

With the final design now approved, the city will request construction bids. Once a contractor is selected and approved by the City Council, construction is expected to begin in early 2026 and take about a year to complete.

Before construction can begin on the new traffic circle, crews will replace aging water and sewer lines to meet current standards and improve long-term system reliability.

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