A traffic calming project is planned to help reduce speeds and improve safety at other intersections in the Barrio, including:

• New all-way stop signs at four intersections
• 43 new high-visibility crosswalks
• One raised crosswalk, which is similar to speed cushions with painted crosswalks on them
• Six rectangular rapid flashing beacons, which are signs that light up to alert drivers when people are crossing the street
• A traffic circle at Pine and Harding

As approved, the project will: 

• Minimize parking impacts in the area. Seven parking spaces will be eliminated at the intersection of Pine Avenue and Harding Street, which is a decrease from 27 if the project had included all five traffic circles. Two of these spaces are no longer legal to park in due to the state’s new “daylighting law,” which restricts parking within 20 feet of most intersections. To offset the parking loss at the traffic circle intersection, staff identified 14 spaces in the nearby area that they expect to add by the end of August. This will result in a total net gain of seven parking spaces in the area.
• Allow the city to retain $5 million in federal funding secured, to be split evenly between the traffic circle project and the separate Barrio Street Lighting project to help offset construction costs.  
• Keep the enhanced crosswalk proposed at the intersection of Oak Avenue and Roosevelt Street. 
• Any improvements needed for water and sewer utilities will be coordinated with the traffic calming work. 

Rendering of proposed traffic circle design: *final design may vary.

Stop sign installation

The City of Carlsbad installed new all-way stop signs and enhanced crosswalks at four intersections in the Barrio as part of the city’s efforts to help reduce speeds and improve safety in the Barrio.

• Chestnut and Madison
• Chestnut and Roosevelt
• Magnolia and Madison
• Oak and Jefferson

You can follow along with our crews in this video, which shows the all-way stop being installed at Chestnut and Madison.

Learn more about construction planned in the Barrio in 2026, including lighting improvements, traffic calming and water and sewer pipeline replacements.

As part of an overall goal of improving traffic safety and walkability in Carlsbad’s oldest neighborhood, the city has worked with the Barrio community to develop a plan to add traffic circles in the Barrio as well as other street design features that will encourage safe behaviors among those who drive, walk and bicycle in the area.

The concept for the Barrio Traffic Circles project was originally proposed in 2014 as part of the Village and Barrio Master Plan.

In June 2025, the City Council asked staff to seek additional community input and bring the project proposal back on July 29, 2025, with traffic calming options ranging from no traffic circles, a hybrid option with at least one traffic circle and an option to keep all five as originally proposed.

At its meeting on July 29, 2025, the City Council voted to proceed with a revised plan that reduces the originally proposed five traffic circles in the Barrio to one. The traffic circle will be located at the intersection of Pine Avenue and Harding Street and include public art.

In September 2025, the City Council approved an updated Barrio traffic calming plan, which includes new stop signs, painted crosswalks, a raised crosswalk, flashing pedestrian signs and the previously approved traffic circle. In November 2025, the City Council approved the plans, specifications and contract documents and authorized staff to advertise the project for construction bids.

Traffic calming 

• Construction on the traffic circle and other traffic calming projects is expected to begin in summer 2026 and be complete in early 2027.
• Work will be done between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Public art

Mario Torero was selected by a city public art advisory subcommittee in December 2024 to create the public art. He will move forward with gathering community input to help shape the design concept, which will be presented to the Arts Commission later this year. 

There will be a new piece of public artwork in the middle of the traffic circle at Harding Street and Pine Avenue, one of the main gateways into the Barrio. A public art subcommittee evaluated qualified artist proposals and in 2024 selected Mario Torero to lead the project. 

The community will continue to be engaged during the development of this new artwork, the timing of which is being planned concurrently with the traffic circle.

If you're specifically interested in updates about public art in the Barrio, please sign up for email notifications.

What is a traffic circle?

The top causes of injury collisions in Carlsbad are unsafe speeds, violating signs and signals, followed by improper turning. Traffic circles address all by being a physical change to the road, which results in drivers slowing down and paying more attention to their surroundings. 

• Traffic circles are raised islands, placed in intersections.
• These prevent drivers from speeding through intersections by impeding the straight-through movement and reduce the potential collision points by eliminating direct left turns.
• Traffic circles tend to be used in residential neighborhoods whereas roundabouts are for larger, more heavily traveled intersections.
• A similar traffic circle is on Chestnut Avenue between Pine Park and Chase Field.

This design was recommended in the Village and Barrio Master Plan because it is the best solution to discourage speeding and improve safety in a way that fits a residential neighborhood setting. Traffic circles were also recommended because they can be used for public art or decorated to fit the local character.

The city worked with U.S. Rep. Mike Levin in 2021 to secure up to $5 million in federal funding to help offset construction costs of the Barrio Traffic Circles and Barrio Street Lighting projects. The funding will be split evenly between the projects.

Jan. 27, 2026 | City Council
The City Council adopted a resolution awarding a contract to Palm Engineering Construction Company, Inc. for the project in an amount not to exceed $3,543,178.50 and adopted another resolution authorizing the use of $2,457,834.50 from the Water System Rehabilitation and Replacement Program for the project.

Nov. 18, 2025 | City Council
The City Council adopting the plans, specifications and contract documents and authorizing the City Clerk to advertise for bids for the Barrio Traffic Calming Project, and the associated water and sewer improvements.

Sept. 9, 2025 | City Council
The City Council approved the updated Barrio traffic calming plan, which includes new stop signs, painted crosswalks, a raised crosswalk, flashing pedestrian signs and the previously approved traffic circle with public art at the intersection of Pine Avenue and Harding Street. 

July 29, 2025 | City Council
The City Council approved one traffic circle with public art at the intersection of Pine Avenue and Harding Street and other traffic calming measures in the Barrio. The City Council also asked staff to return to the City Council by November 2025 with a revised conceptual plan, cost estimate and timeline.

June 24, 2025 | City Council
The City Council postponed a decision on awarding a construction contract and asked staff to bring the proposal back July 29, 2025 to give the community another opportunity to provide input on the traffic circles and other options to reduce speeding. 

March 4, 2025 | City Council
Approved the plans, specifications and contract documents and authorized the City Clerk to advertise for bids for Phase 1 of the Village and Barrio Traffic Circles Project. Also directed the City Manager to look into additional parking opportunities along Madison and east from Madison on Chestnut.

May 6, 2024 | Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission
Recommended approval of the plans and specifications of the Barrio traffic circles project, phase 1 to the City Council. 

Jan. 9, 2024 | City Council
Received an update on the project and selected curb extensions for the intersections of Palm Avenue and Harding Street and Madison Street and Magnolia Avenue. 

Sept. 7, 2021 | Traffic & Mobility Commission
Recommended against a traffic circle at the intersection of Oak Avenue and Roosevelt Street due to community input and further study. 

April 6, 2020 | Traffic & Mobility Commission
Recommended implementation of the Village and Barrio Traffic Circles Project

Nov. 19, 2019 | City Council
Authorized agreement with Chen Ryan Associates, Inc. for conducting a feasibility analysis and engineering design of the traffic circles

Sept. 17, 2019 | City Council
Received informational presentation on the status of the Barrio Street Lighting and Traffic Circles projects. 

June 18, 2019 | City Council
Council voted to hear report on status of the Barrio Street Lighting and Traffic Circles projects

July 24, 2018 | City Council
Approved the Village and Barrio Master Plan, which became effective in August 2018. 

May 16, 2018 | Planning Commission
Recommended City Council approval of the Village and Barrio Master Plan, which included various lighting projects and traffic circles in the Barrio. 

April 18, 2018 | Planning Commission
Held public hearing to consider Village and Barrio Master plan, continued to May 16 meeting

Oct. 19, 2016 | Planning Commission
Directed staff to revise or study potential revisions to the Village and Barrio Master plan

July 13, 2016 | Planning Commission
Workshop to hear public and commissioner comments on Draft Village and Barrio Master Plan

April 13, 2016 | Planning Commission
Heard information presentation on Draft Village and Barrio Master Plan

Community input regarding Village and Barrio Master Plan.