CA: Carlsbad moves forward with plan to make La Costa Road safer..

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http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/mar/22/carlsbad-moves-forward-plan-slow-traffic-la-costa/#


Carlsbad moves forward with plan to make La Costa safer

By Nathan Scharn
CARLSBAD — In the wake of a lawsuit in which the City of Carlsbad had to pay a $2.9 million settlement, the City Council Tuesday voted to take measures to make La Costa Road safer.

The area in question is between El Camino Real and Rancho Santa Fe Road.

The decisions involved approving an interim plan for the road that would be used until a more comprehensive plan could be developed and implemented, and moving forward with a process to create the long-term “road diet” plan. Both were decided 3-2, with Councilwomen Ann Kulchin and Farrah Douglas dissenting.

The lawsuit involved a motorcycle accident that sent the rider into intensive care for several weeks.

Though the road existed before Carlsbad became a city, a judge ruled that they needed to reassess it because the road’s character had changed. La Costa is a heavily trafficked corridor, but unlike most thoroughfares has homes with driveways that let out onto it.

“More needs to be done to La Costa,” said Glenn Bechthold, who lives on road. “It’s still a very dangerous road.”

Bechthold told the council he had seen multiple severe accidents in front of his home.

Council members asked whether the interim changes, which include re-striping the road to make it one lane, could be implemented sooner and whether it was necessary to pay to contract services rather than using city staff to form the road diet plan.

The council also voted to allow exceptions to its zoning ordinances to reasonably accommodate people with disabilities. Those exceptions may include ramps into homes or bathrooms that extend into the space on a lot that is usually supposed to remain open.

They also decided to form a sub-committee, to which Kulchin and Douglas were appointed, to look into spurring investment and pedestrian traffic in Carlsbad Village.

To see the agenda click here. http://www.carlsbadca.gov/cityhall/meetings/Documents/Regular%20Council%20Agendas/3-22-11%20Council%20Agenda.htm