Encinitas commissioners debate safety of Phase 1 cycle track after series of crashes and one fatality

Commissioner Ron Medock presented a compilation of crash reports and videos saying the Phase 1 two-way cycle track on Coast Highway 101, south of Chesterfield Drive, has produced numerous bicycle collisions since installation in 2020, including one fatality at the Solana Beach border. He told the Mobility and Traffic Safety Commission that an independent crash list now counts more than 31 incidents and that 19 of those are well-documented cases he says were directly caused by wheel stops, flex posts or forcing riders into traffic.

The claim drew a data-based reply from Abe Bandigan, the city—s traffic engineer, who said the official California Crash Reporting System (CCRS) database and the city—s EMS dispatch logs show fewer incidents at the specific Phase 1 segment. Bandigan said CCRS records list eight collisions on the segment, two of which occurred during construction, and that many reported incidents on neighborhood social media could not be validated as formal collision reports because the sheriff—s office is the record keeper and the city does not retain original police reports beyond its retention period.

Why it matters: Commissioners and residents said the issue affects recreational and commuter cyclists, schoolchildren and other users of the 101 and…