HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-03-23; Comments on the North County Comprehensive Multi modal Corridor Plan (Districts - All); Gomez, PazTo the members of the:
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Council Memorandum
March 23, 2023
To: Honorable Mayor Blackburn and Members of the City Council
From: Paz Gomez, Deputy City Manager, Public Works
{city of
Carlsbad
Memo ID# 2023026
Via: Geoff Patnoe, Assistant City Manager @ · ·
Re: Comments on the North County Comprehensive Multi modal Corridor Plan (Districts -All)
This memorandum provides information on staff's recent comment letter (Attachment A) on the
draft North County Comprehensive Multimodal Corridor Plan (CMCP), which is being prepared
jointly by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the San Diego Association
of Governments (SAN DAG).
Background
As part of the California Senate Bill 1, Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, CMCPs must
be completed for our region to be eligible to compete for certain state and federal funding and
grant opportunities that can take future transportation improvements from idea to reality. In
coordination with agency partners and Caltrans, SAN DAG is currently developing CMCPs for our
region's 12 major transportation corridors by 2025.
The North County CMCP is a component of the SAN DAG Regional Plan for transportation projects
and services in North County for the cities along the State Route 78 (SR-78) corridor. The North
County CMCP focuses on multimodal transportation·needs and projects within North County
communities along SR-78, while the Regional Plan considers transportation needs and projects
for the entire San Diego region. Both plans work together to provide a comprehensive
transportation strategy for the San Diego region that supports sustainable growth, improves
mobility and enhances quality of life for residents.
Discussion
The North County CMCP is the result of a two-year planning process led by Caltrans and SAN DAG
with involvement from the Cities of Oceanside, Carlsbad, Vista, San Marcos and Escondido. The
North County CMCP utilizes a multimodal planning process intended to create a balanced,
equitable transportation system that integrates mobility options such as driving, biking, walking,
transit, micro-mobility and other mobility services to move both people and goods within North
County and beyond.
The corridor study area includes multiple facilities such as local arterial roadways, state
highways, rail lines, transit systems and active transportation facilities. Within the City of
Carlsbad, the North County CMCP focuses primarily on key regional arterial roadways or mobility
Public Works Branch
Transportation Department
1635 Faraday Avenue I Carlsbad, CA 92008 I 442-339-2780 t
Council Memo :_ Comments on the North County CMCP (Districts -All)
·March 23, 2023
Page 2
boulevards including Palomar Airport Road, El Camino Real, College Boulevard and Melrose
Drive. Additional recommendations are also provided in the areas around our mobility hub sites
including the Village and Palomar Airport Road Business Park. An informational website, which
includes the draft North County CMCP, is available at:
https://sandag.mysocialpinpoint.com/northcounty
The draft CMCP was circulated for public review and comment from February 2, 2023, to
March 12, 2023. The city provided comments/concerns to SANDAG/Caltrans on March 12, 2023
(Attachment A), as highlighted in the following comments/concerns:
1.Clarify whether the plan incorporates the city's existing and planned land uses. This has
been an ongoing issue that staff have raised in prior correspondences
2.Provide more details on project/program specifics or how they will impact the city. The
plan seems to create funding requirements for some future activities, but it provides little
detail on project/program specifics and impacts to the city. Project details could include
specific project alignments, right-of-way needs or coordination with specific agencies
3.Request inclusion of the Coast Highway/Carlsbad Boulevard as a mobility boulevard as
identified by staff during numerous technical working group meetings
4.Recommend considerations to re-evaluate existing fixed route transit services throughout
North County and for transit technologies that would better serve our subregion including
on-demand flexible fleets and rideshare programs
5.Make changes to the recommended bikeway improvements along Palomar Airport Road,
El Camino Real and College Boulevard. Additionally, request specific scope improvements
on the city's portion of Palomar Airport Road including improved intersections through
the Interstate 5 (1-5) interchange area and replacing the bridge over the North County
Transit District's railroad right-of-waywith a multimodal bridge
6.Request improvements to bicycle and pedestrian access through freeway interchanges,
which act as critical barriers for active transportation users in Carlsbad
Next Steps
According to the latest correspondence with Caltrans and SAN DAG, Caltrans will respond to
comments and finalize the North County CMCP. They have not yet provided an estimated
completion date. The document should inform development of the next SAN DAG Regional Plan
which is currently underway. Staff will continue to review all project-related materials and
recommend changes at each milestone to help ensure that regional goals, policies and priorities
are fiscally responsible, safety-conscious, sustainable, equitable and in alignment with the goals
and policies established by our community.
Attachment: A. City of Carlsbad letter dated March 12, 2023
Council Memo -Comments on the North County CMCP (Districts -All)
March 23, 2023
Page 3
cc: Scott Chadwick, City Manager
Cindie McMahon, City Attorney
Gary Barberio, Deputy City Manager, Community Services
Laura Rocha, Deputy City Manager, Administrative Services
David Graham, Chief Innovation Officer
Tom Frank, Transportation Director/City Engineer
Zach Korach, Finance Director
Jeff Murphy, Community Development Director
Kristina Ray, Communication & Engagement Director
Mike Strong, Assistant Director of Community Development
Eric Lardy, City Planner
Nathan Schmidt, Transportation Planning and Mobility Manager
Matt Sanford, Economic Development Manager
March 12, 2023
California Department of Transportation, District XI
Attn. Kareem Scarlett, PE
4050 Taylor St.
San Diego CA, 92110
North County Comprehensive Multimodal Corridor Plan
Dear Mr. Scarlett:
The City of Carlsbad appreciates the opportunity to provide comments on the draft North County
Comprehensive Multimodal Corridor Plan (CMCP) and would like to make the following comments:
General Comments:
These corridor studies stem from Senate Bill 1 and will assist SANDAG and the Department of
Transportation (Caltrans) to nominate projects, with preference to be given to projects that
demonstrate collaboration between the regional agencies and Caltrans. The City has provided
comments to SANDAG during the development of the current Regional Plan which were shared with the
North County CMCP Technical Working Group and are still relevant for suggested revisions to the
proposed plans programs and projects of this plan. Please refer to our previous comments to SANDAG
regarding the Regional Plan included in a City Council Memorandum dated Oct 21, 2021 Re: SANDAG
2021 Regional Transportation Plan Draft EIR Comment Letter- referenced at following web address -
https://records.carlsbadca.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=5493674&dbid=0&repo=CityofCarlsbad.
Below are specific comments regarding the draft plan:
Mobility Hubs:
•Recommend changing the On-demand shuttle connecting transit center to employment centers
to a “On-demand flexible fleet” to facilitate the option of rideshare programs.
Mobility Boulevards:
•Request inclusion of the Coast Highway / Carlsbad Boulevard as a Mobility Boulevard.
Throughout the Technical Working Group meetings, the City of Carlsbad and Oceanside
requested that Coast Highway and Carlsbad Boulevard be included as a “Mobility Boulevard” in
the North County CMCP. This primary north-south corridor is the most highly utilized corridor in
North County from a multimodal users perspective and most consistent with the definition of a
Mobility Boulevard as an alternative path to the state highway system (I-5), has a high potential
for higher quality investments for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit, and connects the
subregions primary activity centers in Oceanside, Carlsbad and neighboring cities to the south.
•College Boulevard: The recommended active transportation improvements include a Class-IV
protected bikeway to Palomar Airport Road. The City of Carlsbad recommends that this be
revised to a Class-I facility within the city limits. The city is developing a plan for the extension
of College Blvd. between Bobcat Lane and El Camino Real which includes a plan to provide both
Class-II bike lanes and a separate Class-I multi-use path along this new alignment.
•Palomar Airport Road/San Marcos Boulevard: Recommend a Class-I multi-use path be provided
along El Camino Real within the City of Carlsbad instead of the proposed Class-IV protected
ATTACHMENT A
North County CMCP: City of Carlsbad Comments
March 12, 2023
Page 2 of 6
bikeway due to the high vehicle speeds, wide roadways, and potentially limited visibility of
bicyclists at the primary intersections. It is also recommended to provided flexible fleets/on-
demand transit along this corridor as a primary connection from the Poinsettia Coaster Station
to the Business Parks along Palomar Airport Road and eventually Cal State San Marcos.
Recommend upgrading all intersections through interchange to smart intersections with
recommended revisions as explained below. Requesting a proposed multimodal bridge over
NCTD rail road right of way and tracks to facilitate adequate space for vehicle lanes, a Class I
pathway, sidewalks, and class IV or buffered class II for the highspeed bicyclist including electric
bicycles.
• El Camino Real: Recommend a Class-I multi-use path be provided along El Camino Real within
the City of Carlsbad instead of the proposed Class-IV protected bikeway due to the high vehicle
speeds, wide roadways, and potentially limited visibility of bicyclists at the primary
intersections.
Regional Spines:
• In the area serviced by North County Transit District (NCTD), fixed route transit ridership
declined from 2015 to 2021 and has not returned to the pre-pandemic ridership levels as shown
in the below graph included in NCTD’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report For the Fiscal
Years Ended June 30, 2022 and 2021
Interstate 5 (I5) and State Route 78 (SR78) – Recommend prioritizing the NCC improvements
and managed lanes on both I5 and SR 78. The new managed lanes would facilitate next gen
Rapid (BRT) and Flexible Fleet public transit programs which support Senate Bill 1 Chapter
8.5 Congested Corridors, section 2391. The NCC EIR includes an additional Managed Lane to
provide 8 free lanes and 4 managed lanes. To implement the flexible fleet programs with
North County CMCP: City of Carlsbad Comments
March 12, 2023
Page 3 of 6
minimum delays on the I5 and SR 78 routes, we recommend revising the projects scopes
included in this plan and subsequently the Regional Plan to include 8 free lanes and 4 managed
lanes on I5, and adding the previously scheduled proposed lanes on SR78 included in the current
Transnet Extension Ordinance. We recommend moving up the projects priorities to be
completed by 2035 which could support the Next Gen Rapid projects and flexible fleet public
rideshare transit programs. Recommended priority projects for this corridor include:
1. Completing the I5 and SR 78 multimodal interchange
2. Completing the Village Trench Project
3. Completing additional managed lanes on I5 and SR78 in the Transnet Extension
Ordinance.
4. To address the community barrier created by I5 and the current auto-centric on and off-
ramp intersections designed in the 1960s, include in the plan all new multimodal
interchanges throughout I5 NCC and North County CMCP with the similar approach used
in the Birmingham Drive interchange in the NCC.
A overview of the current trends in our region and many of the recommendations included in
this letter are explained in our short presentation to SANDAG Independent Taxpayer Oversight
Committee (ITOC) on May 11, 2022 at the following web address -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Cj_qAtqg2M&t=1332s . Please include the related
recommendations in the presentation as recommendations in this letter.
• Recommend using program language consistent with SANDAG including the following flexible
fleet programs.
• Rideshare: Drivers and passengers headed in a similar direction can share the ride in a
vehicle. This includes carpool, vanpool, and pooled ridehailing services such as
uberPOOL and Lyft Shared.
• Microtransit: Multi-passenger shuttles can carry up to 15 passengers and provide rides
within a defined service area. This technology-enabled transit service allows users to
reserve a ride ahead of time or on-demand. Smaller, all-electric shuttles, also known as
neighborhood electric vehicles (NEV), are a form of microtransit that provides a
sustainable and convenient solution for short trips around communities.
• Ridehailing: On-demand ridehailing services allow someone to request a ride in real
time. Services link the passenger with available drivers based on their trip length,
number of passengers, origin, and destination. This includes services such as Uber, Lyft,
and taxis.
Projects and Programs:
• Delete all reference to flexible lanes on Palomar Airport Road and other arterials in Carlsbad
• Revise Carlsbad Mobility Hubs• NEV Areawide Shuttles to • “Rideshare/Rideshailing and
Microtransit”
• Recommend all Rapid (BRTs) be revised to routes on I5 and SR 78 as explained in the first
comment under Regional Spines
• For all identified - • Upgrade signalized intersections to smart intersections, recommend revise
to:
• Upgrade signalized intersections to smart intersections including Intersection Control
Evaluation (ICE).
North County CMCP: City of Carlsbad Comments
March 12, 2023
Page 4 of 6
o ICE guidelines shall conform with the California Manual on Uniform Traffic
Control Devices (CA MUTCD), Section 4C.01b and 01c regarding intersection
control. An engineering study shall include consideration of a roundabout (yield
control). If a roundabout is determined to provide a viable and practical
solution, it shall be studied in lieu of, or in addition to a traffic control signal.
Refer to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) website for
more information on the Traffic Operations Policy Directive 13-02, Intersection
Control Evaluation (ICE), and other resources for the evaluation of intersection
traffic control strategies: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/liaisons/ice.html
• Palomar Airport Road/San Marcos Boulevard Corridor Wide Mobility Boulevard Improvements
& Enhancements- Recommend
o Upgrading all intersections through interchange to smart intersections with
recommended ICE analysis and proposed intersection improvements. Recommend
increasing cost estimate $10 million or per an engineer’s estimate of probably cost and
revise cost accordingly.
o Requesting a proposed multimodal bridge over NCTD rail road right of way and tracks to
facilitate adequate space for vehicle lanes, a Class I pathway, sidewalks, and class IV or
buffered class II for the highspeed bicyclist including electric bicycles. Recommend
increasing budget estimate $30 million or complete engineer’s estimate of probably cost
and revise cost accordingly.
Other General Comments:
• Transit Demand Analysis: The expansion of transit throughout the subregion is a key element of
the North County CMCP however the analysis provided in Appendix C does not provide any
information to support the significant expansion of traditional fixed route transit. To
understand how transit can be utilized to improve the ways people travel throughout North
County a full demand analysis and supporting market research data should be provided in the
document. Appendix R, Travel Patterns, should be similarly structured to understand how the
recommended transit services can address the current travel patterns in the subregion.
• Barriers for Active Transportation: Freeways interchanges are among the most significant
barriers for active transportation users in the subregion due to the high-speed design features
and number of conflict points. In the City of Carlsbad, the I-5 freeway divides the city and
disconnects active transportation users between the highly attractive coastal destinations in the
west and the residential and business park areas in the eastern portions of the city. The “Gaps
and Barriers” section of the CMCP fails to highlight these critical gaps at freeway interchanges.
Improvements at the freeway interchanges are under the jurisdiction of Caltrans so the draft
CMCP should provide guidance on how these freeway barriers will be overcome with specific
project recommendations for active transportation improvements at all freeway interchanges in
the city.
• The final North County CMCP should prioritize all remaining and un-finished projects that were
identified during the North Corridor Public Works Plan (NC PWP) and seek ways to streamline
implementation.
North County CMCP: City of Carlsbad Comments
March 12, 2023
Page 5 of 6
• The draft North County CMCP inventories and assesses existing and future conditions in each
city. However, despite previously providing information to SANDAG staff, the assumptions used
for "existing" and "planned" land use and transportation in the City of Carlsbad are not
consistent with our adopted land use and transportation plans or policies (e.g., forecasted
housing and roadway capacities). Predicting the effect of transportation plans or projects on
land uses and land use planning is critical to developing context sensitive solutions for
transportation projects. Therefore, utilization of the most recent planning assumptions is not
only necessary but is required as specifically stated therein Government Code Section 65080.
Furthermore, the land use assumptions for “uses, residential densities, and building intensities
within the region” (as required by Government Code Section 65080 (b)(2)(B)(i)) should also be
the same, as that provided to the State Air Resources Board (as required per Government Code
Sections 65080 (b)(2)(H and J) in estimating and analyzing GHG from the RTP and the effect on
growth and whether the effects of that growth would be significant in the context of the
region’s plans, natural setting, and growth patterns.
• The draft North County CMCP identifies new policies, programs, and projects that were not
included in the RTP or the NC PWP. The North County CMCP seems to create a funding
requirement for some future activity that is reasonably foreseeable and/or an irrecoverable
commitment to specific program or construction project. As of this writing, it is unclear what
procedures related to CEQA apply to the adoption of the North County CMCP. If the scope of the
North County CMCP is a “project” as defined by CEQA (and NEPA), then the City of Carlsbad will
need to be consulted as a Responsible Agency per CEQA Guidelines Section 15096. As such, the
Lead Agency (i.e., SANDAG) should consider whether the project is covered by a previous
environmental review. To determine whether a project can tier from a certified program EIR,
the Lead Agency should consider whether the later project (Public Resources Code Section
21068.5) is consistent with the program for which the original EIR was prepared and certified; is
consistent with applicable land use plans and zoning in which the later project would be located;
and would not trigger the need for a subsequent or supplemental EIR. In this instant, there
would need to be an evaluation of impacts to existing Land Use Plans, and the lack of a
reasonable range of alternatives that show what would occur if funding or land use assumptions
for the new projects have not been prepared.
• The draft North County CMCP only lists potential projects; it does not show potential
alignments, right of way needed or coordination with specific agencies. More information needs
to be provided on project implementation phasing (both short-range and long-range
improvements), unfunded projects and various funding mechanisms that can bridge the
unfunded gaps.
• Carlsbad respectfully requests that SANDAG support the city’s service bureau requests as
efficiently as possible. Further delays in completion of the regional travel demand model could
adversely impact our rezone schedule and jeopardize our ability to timely meet our Housing
Element program requirements, thereby potentially placing our HCD housing element
certification at risk. Additionally, the city requests that future decisions to update the 2021
Regional Transportation Plan respect the fact that Carlsbad and other local jurisdictions have
been waiting on the availability of the regional model for local projects for some time and that
further delays could result in additional liability, time, and costs for member agencies.
Transportation & Community Development Departments
1635 Faraday Avenue I Carlsbad, CA 92008 I 760-602-2710 t
North County CMCP: City of Carlsbad Comments
March 12, 2023
Page 6 of 6
If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Jeff Murphy, Community
Development Director at Jeff.Murphy@carlsbadca.gov for land use related items or Tom Frank,
Transportation Director/City Engineer, at tom.frank@carlsbadca.gov for mobility related items.
Sincerely,
Tom Frank
Transportation Director/City Engineer
c: Paz Gomez, Deputy City Manager, Public Works
Gary Barberio, Deputy City Manager, Community Services
Ron Kemp, Assistant City Attorney
Jeff Murphy, Community Development Director
Eric Lardy, City Planner
Scott Donnell, Senior Planner
Jason Geldert, Engineering Manager
Nathan Schmidt, Transportation Planning and Mobility Manager