Carlsbad Residents See Yellow

Before summer began, Carlsbad installed five new pedestrian crosswalks on oceanfront Carlsbad Boulevard, between Tamarack and Sycamore avenues. Each crossing is well marked, with a pedestrian-safe, raised median in the middle of the busy four-lane road. Hundreds of daily residents and visitors cross the boulevard to reach the lushly landscaped bluff-top walkway and the stairways to the beach below.

The final phase of the project was completed last week. Eighteen day-glo yellow pedestrian-crossing signs were installed along the .4-mile section. Several residents, while appreciating the safety of the new crosswalks, are not happy with the large display of signage. Anyone walking or driving down the road cannot miss the intrusion into the previously unobstructed view of the ocean.

According to the California Coastal Commission's Toni Ross, no coastal permit was needed by the city to put up the signs since it was an existing road and a traffic-safety issue.

On Friday, October 12, the first four visitors I talked with felt the magnitude of signs is obnoxious. George, from Oceanside, said they are “not consistent with the style of Carlsbad.”  Debbie, from Vista, who grew up in the neighborhood, said they are “kind of ugly and unsightly.” Frank, who lives on the boulevard in the 3800 block, said they're not pretty but he would rather see the signs than someone splattered across the road. He said he's witnessed several near-misses between pedestrians and vehicles.

Tammy, from Oceanside, works out on the Carlsbad beach five days a week. She said the signs are ugly, but, more importantly, she believes the Carlsbad police's motorcycle officers write too many expensive tickets for speeding in the 30 MPH zone.