ENCINITAS — As hundreds of pedestrians cross Coast Highway 101 daily, the city’s Mobility and Traffic Safety Commission discussed options for a safe pedestrian crosswalk at the Encinitas-Solana Beach border.
Recently, the cities of Encinitas and Solana Beach jointly hired a consultant to create plans for a protected crosswalk between Cardiff State Beach and Harbaugh Seaside Trails.
Abe Bandegan, a traffic engineer at the City of Encinitas, spoke at the May 8 meeting to give the commissioners three options for protected crosswalks.
The three options are to install a standard pedestrian crossing with a signal, similar to the underpass near Swami’s Beach, install a HAWK (High-intensity Activated CrossWalk), or build a “Z”-shaped or staggered crosswalk cutting into a lane of traffic in each direction.
The commissioners largely discussed the signalized pedestrian crossing and “Z”-shaped crosswalk, both of which have their downfalls, according to Bandegan.
The signalized crossing would have a potential installation cost of between $30,000 and $40,000 for the two cities and the potential to raise concerns of nearby homeowners with obstructed ocean views from traffic lights and poles.
The “Z”-shaped crosswalk, while much cheaper without blocking views, would need approval from the Coastal Commission, which could take up to six months or more.
“As an engineer, I would like to see the pedestrian signal,” Bandegan said. “Drivers respect it; they know what it is, everybody stops, and you cross safely. I would use a pedestrian signal, especially somewhere like this, where 200 to 300 pedestrians cross during the weekend. If we add a crosswalk, it will probably go up to 500 people crossing during one weekend.”
Most of the illegal crossing on Coast Highway 101 has come from pedestrians from the Harbaugh Seaside Trail area in Solana Beach to reach the ocean. Along with this proposal, new bike and pedestrian routes are currently being installed in Encinitas, bringing more improvements as sidewalk construction is expected to finish by wintertime.
Commissioner June Honsberger said the signalized pedestrian crossing seems like the safest and most viable option but sees the appeal of the “Z”-shaped crosswalk, which may be the most attractive option simply due to cost.
