Encinitas divided over Highway 101 protected cycle track; commissioners request more data

Commissioner Ron Medick presented a packet of collision reports, photographs and video testimony to the Mobility and Traffic Safety Commission and urged removal of the class‑4 protected cycle track on Coast Highway 101 between Chesterfield Drive and the Solana Beach border, replacing it with a wider class‑2 buffered bike lane.

Medick summarized several data sources he reviewed — TIMSS/SWITRS crash records, fire/EMT dispatches and a community‑compiled list — and said a substantial share of reported bicycle incidents in the corridor involved the flexi‑posts and wheel stops that separate the cycle track from parked cars and the pedestrian path. He told commissioners that, in his view, the bollards and curb elements create “an illusion of protection” and that some of the most serious incidents had occurred when riders struck a wheel stop or were forced into a hazard by a vehicle conflict.

What people said: The commission heard from 14 public speakers with sharply divided perspectives. - Support for removing or redesigning the protected track: Commissioner Medick said he found roughly 30 incidents in the corridor, and that about 19 involved posts or wheel stops; he argued that removing the plastic separators and returning parking adjacent to the curb would create space for a 5.5‑foot bike lane plus a 4‑foot door‑zone buffer and a 3‑foot traffic buffer. - Defense of the protected cycle track: Residents, cycling advocates and a licensed traffic engineer urged retention and improvement. Several speakers — including traffic engineer Sabrina Mamo and local attorney and regular cyclist Marco Gonzalez — noted that the corridor’s ridership has grown, that separation discourages high‑speed car intrusions, and that design changes (raised markers, guardrail, improved signage and targeted mitigation at driveways) could reduce the documented crashes.

Technical points raised in public comment and staff replies: - Data sources: Speakers referenced TIMSS/SWITRS, SANDAG bike counts and local incident reporting (including a community Facebook list). One public commenter (Judy Burlfine) cited SANDAG counts showing an average of about 416,000 bicyclist trips per year on the Cardiff/Highway 101 segment since the cycle track, versus about 378,000 annually pre‑installation. - Crash reporting differences: Staff and Medick cautioned that databases differ. For example, some crash records do not include incidents that occur wholly within separated bike facilities. Abe (staff) agreed to revisit the collision history and produce an updated table for commission review. - Driveway/turn conflicts: Former Carlsbad traffic commissioner Steve Linke and others warned that high driveway density and short merge lengths at restaurant and office driveways create hazardous conflicts where bollards narrow the merge zone; Caltrans/MUTCD guidance on right‑turn taper lengths was discussed. - Cost implications: Speakers warned that removing the physical separators and reconfiguring parking and pavement could be costly — commenters estimated hundreds of thousands of dollars for removal and reconstruction if concrete or pavement work is required.

Commission reaction and next steps: Commissioners were split in reaction. Several commissioners and members of the public asked for more rigorous, apples‑to‑apples data (consistent sources and pre/post counts) and for prospective counts and collision profiles before a major design change. The commission asked staff to return with an updated collision history and ridership/usage counts and suggested forming a small working group or subcommittee to evaluate design alternatives (for example: maintain separation but replace posts with different barriers, install additional rumble strips or guardrail at critical driveways, or convert to a buffered class‑2 lane and reallocate parking).

Ending: The commission did not adopt any design change at the meeting. Staff agreed to compile and present a consolidated, source‑consistent collision history (TIMSS/SWITRS/EMT dispatch) and available SANDAG ridership counts for the corridor, and to return with cost estimates and design alternatives at a future meeting.