Changes coming to Santa Fe in Encinitas

Council calls for new design options for controversial Santa Fe Drive project, while aiming to preserve safety features and reduce driver frustration

The Encinitas City Council directed staff to come up new modifications to Santa Fe Drive to address safety concerns for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians during Wednesday’s City Council meeting. File photo

ENCINITAS — Changes are coming to the controversial redesign of Santa Fe Drive.

The City Council directed staff to return with several design options the modify the Santa Fe West project from Interstate 5 to the Windsor/Bonita roads intersection. The roadway has long been a source of contention with residents as the new design includes many new elements to enhance safety for cyclists, pedestrians and students at San Dieguito Academy.

However, there have been many negative reports from residents regarding the narrower vehicle lanes, challenges with reverse-angled parking, traffic cutting through neighborhoods, emergency vehicle challenges and the safety of people exiting their vehicles in the parking spots, suspended mail service and others.

The new direction for the road will not see a complete redesign, but rather smaller, but significant changes to take pressure off motorists, while keeping the protected bike lanes and other safety features.

“Traffic flow and design should be intuitive and consistent,” Councilman Jim O’Hara said. “It should be Keep It Simple Stupid. We don’t want to make it a quiz.”

The western phase begins at Gardena Road and includes a wider sidewalk and bike lane on the sidewalk. However, the sidewalk’s width has caused the U.S. Post Office to suspend mail deliveries to 24 residents since February.

O’Hara pitched keeping the landing pad at the Nardo/Mackinnon intersection and drainage basins on the south side of Santa Fe Drive. However, he said the city could, for a minimal price, reconfigure the elements with a curb, parallel parking, a buffer, a bike lane, another buffer and the vehicle lane up to 11.5 feet wide.

O’Hara said it would require minimal construction, while paint can realign the rest and it gives cyclists a buffered bike lane with the freedom to maneuver without the risks of hitting a curb or planter.