Tamarack plan gets mostly good reviews at briefing

CARLSBAD — About 30 residents joined city staff on Jan. 11 at the Carlsbad Senior Center to review plans for improvements at the intersection of Tamarack Avenue and Carlsbad Boulevard.

Many in attendance were in support of the new plans, which consist of filtering southbound Carlsbad Boulevard into one lane, widening the sidewalk to 13 feet and adding a buffer between vehicles and the bicycle lanes over the Agua Hedionda Lagoon bridge.

Ann and Ruben Cerecedes have resided in Carlsbad for years and are in favor of the new improvements. They said the additional safety measures are needed, especially with the widening of the sidewalk.

Other improvements include 18 parking spaces on the west side of Carlsbad Boulevard, four parking spaces on the south side of Tamarack Avenue, removal of the island at the beach entrance and enhanced street designs on the corners of Sequoia and Tamarack avenues to increase safety and improvements for disable individuals.

“We are walkers more than drivers and they really have to expand that,” Ann Cerecedes said. “They are trying to shorten (the distance) people are crossing (the street). People are in the crosswalk for less time.”

Kevin Bender, who lives on Adams Street and Tamarack Avenue, is also in favor of the new concepts. Specifically, he said the added crosswalks are much needed and will help motorists slow down, especially north of the Tamarack Avenue and Carlsbad Boulevard intersection.

“I like the improvements,” Bender said. “I’m generally a type person against a lot of these type of things. The improvements to the crosswalks and the entrance to the parking lot Tamarack (beach) are necessary. It will improve safety, first and foremost.”

However, there are a group of residents not in favor who filled out comment cards indicating their concerns.

Stacy Ferayorni, who lives on Sequoia Avenue, said the addition of a median just south of the intersection to merge traffic into one lane will be more of a problem than solution. Ferayorni also suggested an underpass at the trailhead on the east side of Carlsbad Boulevard instead of a crosswalk, similar to Encinitas and Solana Beach.

She said many residents in the neighborhood turn south onto Carlsbad Boulevard to avoid driving north on Garfield Street, then turn west on Tamarack Avenue to reach the Carlsbad Boulevard.

“I’m not happy about it because at the end of my street, Sequoia Avenue, I won’t be able to turn south,” Ferayorni said. “It (the median) causes traffic. My biggest concern is just not being able to turn left. Everyone that lives south of Tamarack … they have to use Tamarack now. My street is used as a short-cut street and it’s a convenience to come down in the morning to go south.”