Avenida Encinas Coastal Rail Trail and Pedestrian Improvements Project, CDP2024-0010/HMP2024-0009

The City of Carlsbad is advancing the Avenida Encinas Coastal Rail Trail and Pedestrian Improvements Project along a one-mile segment west of Interstate-5, stretching from Palomar Airport Road to just south of the Poinsettia Coaster Station Driveway. The project aims to enhance multimodal transportation by widening the roadway to include a 27-foot-wide northbound lane and a 20-foot-wide southbound lane, each with 10-foot travel lanes, and adding 7-foot-wide buffered bike lanes on both sides. A 10-foot-wide center lane with intermittent landscaped medians is planned, alongside new 10-foot-wide sidewalks, curb ramps, on-street parking on the east side, and full pavement reconstruction. Additional elements include bio-filtration swales, landscaped medians, median passageways with flashing beacons, new lighting, fencing, and a retaining wall, all aligned with regional Coastal Rail Trail goals. Construction is expected to last approximately seven months, with the project site located entirely within Carlsbad, California. Environmental compliance is central to the effort, requiring permits under the Clean Water Act and state regulations, as well as adherence to Coastal Development Permit and Habitat Management Plan requirements under the California Coastal Act. The project incorporates extensive cultural and ecological mitigation measures mandated under the California Environmental Quality Act and tribal consultation laws. A Mitigated Negative Declaration will be prepared, and strict compliance with the city’s Grading and Storm Water Ordinances, as well as the Regional Water Quality Control Board’s Waste Discharge Requirements, is required. Cultural resource protections are embedded in the contract through mandatory contractor training, pre-excavation agreements with the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians and San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians, and protocols requiring immediate work stoppage and notification upon discovery of human remains or cultural artifacts. All fill material must be certified as culturally sterile, and no testing of cultural materials is permitted without tribal consent. Monitoring reports generated by tribal representatives and archaeologists are confidential and exempt from public records disclosure. While no formal contract value, pricing structure, or federal acquisition regulation clauses are provided, the City of Carlsbad serves as the sole funding source and project sponsor, with administrative oversight handled by the Planning Division and Public Works Department. Key contacts include Senior Planner Scott Donnell and Public Works representative Brandon Miles, who serve as primary points of contact for project coordination and compliance. No standard federal contract types, payment systems, inspection protocols, or technical specifications beyond local municipal codes are