HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-02-02; Traffic Safety and Mobility Commission; 02; Police Report Regarding Traffic and Mobility-Related Matters in the Fourth Quarter of 2025Meeting Date: Feb. 2, 2026
To: Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission
Staff Contact: Jason Arnotti, Police Lieutenant
jason.arnotti@carlsbadca.gov, 442-339-5554
Subject: Police Report Regarding Traffic and Mobility-Related Matters in the Fourth
Quarter of 2025
District: All
Recommended Action
Receive a quarterly report from a representative of the City of Carlsbad’s Police Department
that will provide an overview of traffic and mobility-related police matters and notable news
during the months of October, November and December 2025.
Fiscal Analysis
This action has no fiscal impact.
Environmental Evaluation
In keeping with California Public Resources Code Section 21065, this action does not constitute
a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act in that it has no
potential to cause either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably
foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. Therefore, it does not require
environmental review.
Exhibits
None.
TRAFFIC SAFETY & MOBILITY COMMISSION
Feb. 2, 2026 Item #2 Page 1 of 1
From:tlichterman@cox.net
To:Traffic
Cc:John Kim; "Pete Penseyres"; sarge@frcycling.org; Ed Santos
Subject:Commission Item #2: Police Report Regarding Traffic and Mobility-Related Matters in the Fourth Quarter of 2025
Date:Sunday, February 1, 2026 7:39:54 PM
Attachments:Ltr to Carlsbad re Carlsbad Blvd Hazard 1-23-26.pdf
Dear Honorable Traffic Safety and Mobility Commission Members,
With regard to Item #2 on your Agenda on February 2 regarding a Police Report on Traffic and
Mobility related matters in the Fourth Quarter of 2025, it is my hope that you will carefully
review the serious safety issues being created for cyclists in the Carlsbad Blvd. construction
area between Pine and Tamarack. As detailed in the attached letter to your Commission, on
December 25, 2025, there was a serious cyclist crash caused by the construction netting
installed atop the barricades between the bicycle “chute” created by the contractor and the
construction area. The conditions at this location present a continuing hazard to any cyclist
who may not be aware of the dangers and gets snagged by the construction netting or the
plastic delineators.
Please consider this hazard to cyclists and ask staff to explore the recommendations in our
letter.
Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Tom Lichterman, Chairman
Oceanside Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee
CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and
know the content is safe.
City of Oceanside Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee
BikeWalk Oceanside
Phone: 619-200-6133 E-Mail: lichtermanti@gmail.com
January 23, 2026
Mr. John Kim,
Acting Transportation Planning and Mobility Manager
City of Carlsbad
1635 Faraday Avenue
Carlsbad, CA 92008
RE: Cyclist Safety Hazard in Construction Zone on Carlsbad Blvd.
Dear Mr. Kim,
The Oceanside Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee is a citizen’s advisory committee whose role is
to advise the City on programs, projects, and policies which improve bicycling and walking in the
community. The Committee’s membership includes over 90 Oceanside residents who are
concerned about bicycling and walking infrastructure and opportunities. Our goals are to promote
bicycling and walking in the community for health, recreation, and transportation, to promote
bicycle and pedestrian safety, and to improve and increase bicycling and pedestrian facilities.
The First Responder Cycling Club (FRCC) is a recreational cycling club with Chapters throughout
the U.S. FRCC supports safe, sport-level cycling for its members and encourages adherence to all
applicable traffic laws.
Like FRCC, North Coast Velo (NCV) is also a recreational cycling club based in North County which
supports safe and active cycling for its members and stresses adherence to traffic laws.
The Current Situation
The undersigned representatives of these
organizations are writing to express our serious
concerns about the current bicycle detour “chute”
which has been created adjacent to boardwalk
construction between Pine and Tamarack on
Carlsbad Blvd., as shown in the adjacent photo.
We understand that we do not have “jurisdiction”
in Carlsbad per se, but all of our organizations
have members who cycle in Carlsbad frequently.
We fully understand and support the City’s desire
to renovate the railings and sidewalks in this area;
our concern is specifically with the bike detour
“chute” the contractor has establisted that is very
unsafe for the reasons enumerated below.
As can be seen from the first photo, the chute is quite narrow and has vertical obstacles on both
sides. This creates a major hazard for cyclists, which must contend not only with the narrow width
Page 2
and vertical obstructions, but also the use of the
chute not only by cyclists but by pedestrians, roller
bladers, strollers, etc. This creates an “accident
waiting to happen” condition.
Compounding all this, the contractor installed
plastic construction netting on top of the right-hand
barricades. This netting can come loose due to
insufficient securement, wind, tampering by
pedestrians, etc., causing a flapping hazard for
cyclists, as shown in the second photo.
This is essentially what happened to one
unfortunate cyclist on December 25, 2025. The
cyclist, who is an experienced FRCC rider, was riding south through this area on an “Eliptigo”
bicycle. His handlebar was snagged by the construction netting which was flapping in the breeze
due to insufficient securement or tampering by another party, and he crashed hard onto the
roadway surface, in the adjacent travel lane. This was all caught on video. He was taken to the
hospital, initially locally and then sent to San Diego, with head trauma, potential broken ribs, and
potential punctured lung. We understand he was released but is now having continuing medical
issues.
While the construction netting was the cause of the December 25th crash, the plastic delineators
on the left side of the chute also pose a hazard to cyclists. As shown in the third and fourth photos
below, those delineators, which are not on flexible bases, can get entangled with the drop bars or
mirrors of a road bike and cause a sudden crash by the cyclist.
Recommendations
We believe the City and its contractor must take immediate action to eliminate this on-going safety
hazard. With the construction project slated to go for two years, we cannot let this condition
continue, endangering all cyclist users. We have several recommendations the City should
consider to mitigate this hazard.
Page 3
1. The City should remove the “chute” in its entirety, including the plastic delineators and the
construction netting (but leaving the k-rail barricades in place). The adjacent travel lane
should be posted for “Cyclists May Use Full Lane” and allow cyclists to use the full travel
lane between Pine and Tamarack. Sharrows painted on the travel lane should also be
installed.
2. Pedestrians and other non-cyclist users should be directed to use either the sea wall walk
down at the beach level, or the east side of Carlsbad Blvd. between Pine and Tamarack, as
signage currently directs them to do (but isn’t enforced).
3. The City should post an “Alternate Detour for Cyclists” which would have southbound
cyclists turn left at Pine, right at Garfield, right at Tamarack, and left back onto Carlsbad
Blvd. Sharrows should be temporarily installed on this routing. This would keep cyclists
completely out of the construction zone and avoid slowing cars on Carlsbad Blvd. in the
Sharrow lane. (We do appreciate the City having reduced the speed in that lane to 20 mph.)
4. The City should consider posting a second “Alternate Detour for Cyclists” up at the round-
about with State Street, having southbound cyclists take the State Street leg, continue
south on State to Oak, then continue south on the Coastal Rail Trail segment in this area
down to Tamarack.
5. Another option the City should consider would be to divert all Carlsbad Blvd. traffic to the
current northbound lanes, and limiting the southbound lane to just cyclists.
We would be pleased to meet with City traffic and mobility staff to discuss this situation further. It
is our sincere hope that something can be done to address the current situation so no one else is
hurt by the current hazardous condition.
Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Tom Lichterman, Chairman Greg “Sarge” Christopherson, President
Oceanside Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee First Responder Cycling Club
Ed Santos, President
North Coast Velo
cc: Tom Frank, Transportation Director, City of Carlsbad
Carlsbad Traffic Safety and Mobility Commission Members
Oceanside Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee Members
Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission
Quarter 4 Report for the Months of
October, November and December
Jason Arnotti, Police Lieutenant
Police Department
Feb. 2, 2026
2
Enforcement Summary
Category Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Timed Parking 193 161 151 31
Street Sweeping 362 445 420 340
Unregistered Vehicles 157 176 180 134
No Parking Zones 45 74 173 177
72-Hour Violations 20 57 45 31
Oversized Vehicles 59 47 181 32
Other Violations 219 482 564 280
Total Citations/Warnings 1,055 1,442 1,714 1,141
ITEM 2: POLICE QUARTERLY REPORT2025 PARKING ENFORCEMENT
2025 TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT
3
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
684
595
1251
832
147
195
541
342
Citations Warnings
ITEM 2: POLICE QUARTERLY REPORT
4
0
50
100
150
200
250
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
67 60 50 64
67 63 80 72
6 9 6 3
32 26 30 33
13
8 6 6
28
23 34 21
Non-Injury Minor Serious H&R (No Injury)H&R (Injury)Bike
185 172 178166
ITEM 2: POLICE QUARTERLY REPORT2025 COLLISIONS BY THE NUMBERS
5
ITEM 2: POLICE QUARTERLY REPORTBICYCLE COLLISION LOCATIONS
6
ITEM 2: POLICE QUARTERLY REPORTCOLLISION LOCATIONS
2025 DUI ENFORCEMENT
7
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
29 24 24 25
20
15
28
14
21 51
38
49
Collisions Dispatched Initiated
ITEM 2: POLICE QUARTERLY REPORT
8
0
1
2
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
0
2 2
1
ITEM 2: POLICE QUARTERLY REPORT2025 FATAL TRAFFIC COLLISIONS
9
4100 Skyline Vehicle vs. Pedestrian
10/17/2025
•The investigation determined the primary cause of the collision was an unsafe lane change, with
unsafe speed identified as a contributing factor.
•Although the fatal collision occurred on a surface street, the involved driver had been stopped twice
on major arterial roadways prior to the collision and was again stopped on an arterial approximately
one month afterward. This underscores how arterial corridors function as effective enforcement
chokepoints for identifying and re-encountering high-risk drivers.
•Following a review by the District Attorney in December, the driver involved was charged with felony
offenses related to the collision.
•A speed survey conducted at the location showed typical driving speeds were at or below 30 miles per
hour, indicating the collision was not the result of excessive prevailing speeds but individual driving
behavior.
ITEM 2: POLICE QUARTERLY REPORTQ4 FATAL TRAFFIC COLLISION
10
319
290
77
24
5
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
Property Damage Only
Other Visible Injury
Complaint of Pain
Severe Injury
Fatal
ITEM 2: POLICE QUARTERLY REPORT2025 COLLISION INJURIES
11
209
104
97
84
73
147
0 50 100 150 200 250
Unsafe Speed
Improper Turning
Driving Under Influence
Traffic Signals and Signs
Other Improper Driving
OTHER (All Remaining Factors)
ITEM 2: POLICE QUARTERLY REPORT2025 COLLISION FACTORS
12
166
154
133
114
46
43
34
19
5
Rear-End
Hit Object
Broadside
Sideswipe
Other
Head-On
Vehicle-Pedestrian
Overturned
OTHER (Not Stated)
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
ITEM 2: POLICE QUARTERLY REPORT2025 COLLISION TYPES
13
279
155
117
66
36
34
27
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Other Motor Vehicle
Fixed Object
Parked Motor Vehicle
Bicycle
Non-Collision
Pedestrian
OTHER (All Remaining)
ITEM 2: POLICE QUARTERLY REPORT2025 COLLISIONS INVOLVED WITH
14
34%
66%
Solo Multiple Parties
29%
51%
20%
E-Bike Vehicle Bike
ITEM 2: POLICE QUARTERLY REPORT2025 AT FAULT BIKES/E-BIKES
15
38 34
27
56
81
67 68 71
61
53
45
85
10
22 23 27
41
52
39
47
28
21 18
13
4 3 7 4 7 5 6 10
4 8 4 2
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
J F M A M J J A S O N D
CFS (Calls for Service)Officer Initiated Activity E-Bike Collisions
ITEM 2: POLICE QUARTERLY REPORT2025 E-BIKE SUMMARY
16
•OTS-funded officer training: SFST & Advanced Roadside Impaired
Driving Enforcement (ARIDE)
•OTS kick-off press release - $185,000 awarded
•OTS DUI Checkpoint (Dec.): 713 vehicles, 2 arrests
•Chick-fil-A injury prevention community event, partnering with
Scripps Health Prevention Team (Nov.)
•Red ribbon week
•City Council presentation for e-bike ordinance Feb. 10, 2026
•DAO partnership and child endangerment evaluation
•SLC partnership
•Funeral attendance with material support to SDPD – El Cajon
•FTO support and vacancies
ITEM 2: POLICE QUARTERLY REPORTOPERATIONS, OUTREACH &
ADMINISTRATION
OPERATIONAL PRIORITIES
17
•Enforcement targeting PCFs within arterial corridors
•DUI enforcement
•Address neighborhood-specific traffic complaints
•E-bike and e-motorcycle enforcement
•Parking management and traffic calming
•Special event management
•School drop-off and pick-up management
ITEM 2: POLICE QUARTERLY REPORT
UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS
18
•02/07/2026 Mitchell Thorpe 5K (Poinsettia Community Park)
•04/12/2026 Carlsbad 5000 (40th Anniversary)
•05/03/2026 Village Street Faire
ITEM 2: POLICE QUARTERLY REPORT
QUESTIONS?
ITEM 2: POLICE QUARTERLY REPORT
19
Item #2:
Police Report
Carlsbad Traffic Safety and Mobility Commission
2/2/2026
Steve Linke
1
2
3
Potentially dangerous condition on
Carlsbad Boulevard
4
Potentially dangerous condition on
Carlsbad Boulevard
Netting blew into bike lane,
catching handlebar of cyclist, who
wiped out into vehicle lane.
5
Before-after bicycle-involved collisions
6
+ Dozens of collisions not in police or EMS reports