Citing a 233% increase in collisions involving bikes and e-bikes since 2019, the City of Carlsbad today declared a local state of emergency. This action will immediately increase attention and resources on a range of solutions including infrastructure, safety, enforcement and a focus on safe driving behavior education.
City Manager Scott Chadwick has redeployed resources from the city’s police, fire, transportation and community education departments to develop immediate actions to be presented to the City Council Aug. 30, followed by a comprehensive plan on Sept. 27.
“The exponential increase in ridership, especially among young people, has significantly changed how people are using Carlsbad’s roads,” said City Manager Scott Chadwick. “In addition to adding miles of new bike lanes, we’ve passed new laws, promoted awareness and ramped up enforcement. Despite these efforts, we continue to see collisions, including two tragic fatalities within the past 17 days.”
