This article is a brief update on several different approaches being implemented to help make Quail Gardens Drive a safer road for vehicles, pedestrians as well as bikes.
Traffic Measures
Last fall the Four Concerns Consortium, a coalition of all of the HOA’s and neighborhoods along Quail Gardens Drive, was able to gain final approval from the Encinitas city council to install several physical traffic measures to mitigate speed and volume of traffic. This includes two stop signs; one at Via Zamia and another at Kristen Court. In addition, the city will be installing a quick build roundabout at Ecke Ranch Road opposite the entrance to the EUSD Farm Lab.
The city has prepared and are soliciting proposals to implement these changes for Quail Gardens Drive, Saxony Road and a number of other streets. All bids are due on April 1st. Our understanding is that shortly after April 1st the city will choose one or more of the contractors to complete the work and then it should start later in April. The entire project is supposed to take 90 days across all of the roads that are part of this improvement effort. The date to award a contract and complete the work is subject to change but it is safe to say that by early fall we should see some substantial changes to traffic on Quail Gardens Drive.
Speed Limits
As a result of California AB 43 the city of Encinitas has approved and adopted new vehicle codes (CVC 22358.7) that allow local agencies to lower speed limits by an additional 5 MPH for a total of 10 MPH below the 85th percentile speed in locations designated as ‘safety corridors’ and areas with high concentrations of bicyclists and pedestrians. These speed reductions can be made after June 30th. The good news is that Quail Gardens Drive is considered a ‘safety corridor’ so we can anticipate that the speed limits will be decreased from 35 MPH to 30 MPH. New speed limit signs will be installed to support this change. This along with the additional traffic measures outlined above should help to make Quail Gardens Drive a safer road for everyone.
Below is an article in the Encinitas Advocate with more details on the speed limit changes: