Encinitas denies permanent access across city open space for SANDAG double‑track, approves limited extended work hours

The Encinitas City Council denied a SANDAG request for permanent construction access across two city‑owned parcels adjacent to the Batiquitos Lagoon Double Track project but approved limited nonstandard construction hours with conditions intended to reduce impacts to nearby residents and the city's recently acquired open space.

SANDAG and city engineering staff presented the double‑track project, which will replace an aging single‑track wooden bridge over Batiquitos Lagoon with a modern double‑track bridge and associated drainage, and detailed how construction is constrained by protected least tern nesting seasons. SANDAG sought permission to use an access alignment from Carlsbad Boulevard across the city parcels during construction to avoid building a 10‑foot permanent retaining wall at the La Costa Avenue approach and to reduce haul‑trip impacts on La Costa Avenue. SANDAG also requested extended weekday working hours…