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News from the City of Carlsbad | April 30, 2026

With National Bike Safety Month starting Friday, I’m beginning today’s update with reminders about getting around town safely, along with a refresher on our new e-bike laws that took effect in March.

I’ll also give you the details on enhanced lighting coming to the Village and three new all-way stops proposed at different locations around the city, both on the agenda at Monday’s Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission meeting.

Here’s the full lineup:

• Bike Safety Month reminders
• Next steps for new all-way stops and Village lighting improvements
• Event offers guidance to prepare for wildfire season
• Small Business Liaison Program expansion solidified
• Local businesses recognized for going green
• Roads closed Sunday for Carlsbad Village Street Faire
• Community events and activities
• Share your input on proposed I-5/SR 78 interchange improvements
• Upcoming city meetings

Bicycle Safety Month reminders

May is National Bicycle Safety Month, and with the beautiful weather here lately, more people are gearing up to explore Carlsbad on two wheels. Whether you are biking, walking or driving, please look out for each other on the road, put away distractions and give yourself extra time to get where you need to go.

If you’re driving, here are a few tips for driving safely around bicyclists:

• Always check mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes or opening car doors.
• Yield to bicyclists at intersections just as you would other vehicles.
• State law requires drivers to change lanes when possible to pass bicyclists and always maintain at least 3 feet of space.

If you’re planning an e-bike ride in the days or weeks ahead, remember new e-bike safety laws took effect in Carlsbad on March 26, starting with a 60-day warning period. During the warning period, officers are primarily focused on education and increasing awareness of the new laws.

• 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.
• The operation of e-bikes is prohibited at Poinsettia and Pine Avenue community parks. Please park your e-bike when you arrive at these parks.
• Anyone operating an e-bike must be at least 12 years old.
• Riders under 18 years old on any bike or e-bike, and riders of all ages on a class 3 e-bike must wear a properly fitted and fastened helmet. This video can help you make sure your helmet fits correctly.
• Parents can be held responsible if they knowingly allow their children to break the rules.

Learn more

Bike and e-bike safety training

The Carlsbad Police Department is hosting a bike and e-bike rodeo on Saturday, May 9, for anyone who wants hands-on training and to learn bike and e-bike safety tips. The training includes:

• Safety instruction
• Helmet fitting
• Navigating your bike through a challenge course

Bike and E-bike Rodeo

Saturday, May 9

9 a.m. to noon

Safety Training Center

5750 Orion St.

Space is limited and registration is required. We expect the training to fill up quickly.

Register here

Next steps for new all-way stops and Village lighting improvements

Monday's Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission meeting will feature updates on the Village Lighting Project and new proposed all-way stops at three locations citywide.

Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission

Monday, May 4, 4 p.m.

City Council Chamber

1200 Carlsbad Village Drive

View the agenda and staff reports

Here is a closer look at what’s being proposed and how these projects aim to improve safety and accessibility across the city.

Village lighting

New energy-efficient pedestrian lighting and upgrades to existing tree lights are planned throughout the Village to improve public safety, support local businesses and create a more welcoming atmosphere for residents and visitors.

Right now, we’re planning improvements along several streets in the Village as the first step in a broader effort to enhance lighting throughout the Village. 

Construction on this phase could begin as soon as late 2026.

Learn more about the project.

New all-way stops

The Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission will also consider new all-way stops at three intersections throughout the city:

• Batiquitos Drive and Aviara Drive
• Camino De Los Coches and La Costa Avenue
• Tamarack Avenue and Sunnyhill Drive

After analyzing traffic volumes and patterns at these intersections, city staff are recommending new all-way stops to help improve pedestrian access and make it easier for cars to turn onto busy streets and reduce speeding.

A note about Tamarack Avenue and Sunnyhill Drive

In 2023, the city installed a raised crosswalk on Tamarack Avenue at Sunnyhill Drive to help address speeding concerns. We have continued to monitor the intersection and determined that a new all-way stop would make it easier for pedestrians to safely cross the street.



If an all-way stop is approved at this intersection, the existing raised crosswalk and flashing warning beacons would be removed and new high-visibility crosswalks would be installed on all four edges of the intersection.



How to participate in Monday’s meeting

• Provide public comment in person
• Email comments to traffic@carlsbadca.gov by 1 p.m. on Monday, May 4
• Watch the livestream on the city’s website

Event offers guidance to prepare for wildfire season

With May kicking off National Wildfire Awareness Month, the community is invited to join us Saturday, May 16, at Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park for our “Community Connection: Wildfire Preparedness” free event designed to help residents protect their homes and prepare for wildfire season.

Community Connection: Wildfire Preparedness

Saturday, May 16

10 a.m. to noon

Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park

6200 Flying Leo Carrillo Lane

Meet experts from the Fire Department, Parks & Recreation and Habitat Management and get practical tools to help protect your home and property.

Community members can bring photos of their landscaping for a complimentary personalized defensible space assessment and connect with local experts for practical tips on home hardening, defensible space and wildfire prevention.

You can learn about:

• Home hardening and defensible space best practices
• Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps
• Fire smart landscaping tips
• Wildfire prevention strategies
• Personalized home assessments

Explore resources and learn more on the city’s fire mitigation website. 

Small Business Liaison program expanding

The City of Carlsbad Economic Development team, along with the Carlsbad Village Association has created a permanent partnership to expand the city’s Small Business Liaison Program. This program provides one-on-one access to the city’s Economic Development team to help answer questions, navigate city processes and business-related needs.

The Carlsbad Village Association also hosts city staff once a month at their downtown Carlsbad location, allowing the opportunity to serve more people in our community who are starting a business or looking to start a business.

Who can make a one-on-one appointment?

• Anyone interested in starting a business in Carlsbad
• Existing businesses planning to expand or relocate
• Business owners who have operational or regulatory questions

Small Business Liaison expanded hours and locations

Every Tuesday

9 to 11 a.m. (30-minute appointments)

Dove Library

1775 Dove Lane

First Wednesday of each month

9 to 11 a.m. (30-minute appointments)

Carlsbad Village Association

2695 State St. 

To make an appointment or learn more, please visit our website.

Local businesses recognized for going green

The Carlsbad City Council recognized more than a dozen certified green businesses this week.

These businesses have taken steps to implement sustainable practices, such as installing low-flow water fixtures, upgrading lights to more energy efficient options and making sure waste is sorted and disposed of correctly.

This week, the City of Carlsbad certified 11 organizations for the first time and recertified three. That brings the total number of certified green businesses and buildings in Carlsbad to 72.

If you own a business in Carlsbad, I encourage you to learn more about the program. There’s no charge to get certified and every little action helps make our community more sustainable. On behalf of the city, congratulations to these newly certified green businesses.

Roads closed Sunday for Carlsbad Village Street Faire

If you’re planning to come downtown this weekend, please be aware that the Carlsbad Village Street Faire is happening Sunday, May 3. Several streets in the Village will be closed to make way for this popular community event, which features more than 900 vendors, international foods, entertainment and children’s rides. 

• The biannual Carlsbad Village Street Faire takes place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is hosted by the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce.
• It typically draws tens of thousands of people, so remember to slow down and be alert for people driving, walking or biking to and from downtown.

While you are at the fair, stop by the Carlsbad Police Department booth and get information on doing your part to keep our streets safe, whether you drive, bike or walk. You can also visit our Fire & Life Safety team booth to learn about wildfire preparedness, smoke alarm safety and other fire prevention resources, plus enjoy some fun giveaways and a community game.

Road closures

Downtown streets that will be closed from approximately 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday include:

• Grand Avenue from Carlsbad Boulevard to Jefferson Street
• Washington Street from Carlsbad Village Drive to Christiansen Way
• State Street from Carlsbad Village Drive to Beech Street
• Roosevelt Street from Carlsbad Village Drive to Beech Street
• Madison Street from Carlsbad Village Drive to south of Arbuckle Place
• Christiansen Way between State Street and the east side of the Carlsbad Coaster Station entrance

Parking and shuttle information

• General parking is limited in the area surrounding the event.
• Accessible parking is available in the area surrounding the event, Village Faire Shopping Center and Visit Carlsbad Visitor Center (the old train depot).
• Free shuttle service is provided at the southwest corner of The Shoppes at Carlsbad, 2525 El Camino Real, and at the Poinsettia Coaster Station, 6511 Avenida Encinas.

More community events and activities

Here are some more activities and events happening soon at our city libraries, community centers and the Carlsbad Senior Center:

• Creative Crafting: Paper Punch Wreath – Friday, May 1, 1 to 3 p.m., Carlsbad Senior Center
• Cinema Club Friday: "The Orator" – Friday, May 1, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Dove Library
• Free Comic Book Day – Saturday, May 2, regular business hours, while supplies last, all Carlsbad library locations
• Comic Book Cover Art Workshop – Saturday, May 2, 2 to 3 p.m., Library Learning Center
• Reel Wednesday: "Traffic" – Wednesday, May 6, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Dove Library
• Hot Rods & Cool Treats – Saturday, May 9, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Pine Avenue Community Center and Park

Share your input on proposed I-5/SR 78 interchange improvements

Caltrans and the San Diego Association of Governments asked us to share that they’re hosting a public meeting on May 13 about proposed improvements to the Interstate 5 and State Route 78 interchange. Community members can learn more about the project, talk one-on-one with the project team and provide feedback that will be included in the public record.

I-5/SR 78 Improvement Project scoping meeting

Wednesday, May 13

6 to 7 p.m.

South Oceanside Elementary School

1806 S. Horne St., Oceanside

If you can’t attend in person, you can share your input on the project through May 29 in three ways:

1. Online through the project website
2. By phone at 855-925-2801 (Project Code: 8538)
3. By emailing this address

Upcoming city meetings

There’s no City Council meeting next week, but a few of our city boards and commissions are scheduled to meet. In addition to Monday’s meeting of the Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission, the Planning Commission is scheduled to meet Wednesday and the Arts Commission is scheduled to meet Thursday.

Board and commission meetings are livestreamed on the city’s website and available to watch afterward. See the full meeting schedule on our city calendar.

Enjoy your weekend!

Geoff Patnoe

City Manager