Encinitas Municipal Code § 5.5 Pedestrian Circulation

An objective of this Specific Plan is to enhance pedestrian orientation in the Specific Plan area. Major considerations in creating a pedestrian-oriented environment include:

To this end, pathways are proposed for all streets within the Specific Plan area.

Land use, development standards, and design policies and recommendations contained within this Plan reinforce one another to achieve the objectives of creating an enhanced pedestrian environment. Specifically, the requirement for pathways within the Plan area, the multiple use of alleyways, and the variety of routes that allow residents to move through the Cardiff-by-the-Sea business district are all intended to encourage pedestrian activity.

The framework for pedestrian orientation is provided by the grid-like street pattern, alleyways, pedestrian paths integrated as a part of development, and recreational paths. Still, opportunities to reinforce the pedestrian network exist.

One objective of enhanced pedestrian circulation is to link the parks, informal paths, and open spaces that border the Specific Plan area. These include Glen Park to the south, the informal pedestrian pathway along the NTCD Right-of-Way (ROW) to the west, and George Berkich Park to the north. These can be linked through a pedestrian circulation system consisting of pathways on primary and secondary streets that run north, south, east, and west from the Specific Plan area.

In addition, there are informal walking routes that will materialize over time which use alleys and unofficial pedestrian paths internal to the Specific Plan area. By interconnecting public pathways, alleys, and at-grade parking areas, opportunities are created for pedestrians to meander throughout the Cardiff business district. These highly desirable meandering routes facilitate a connection between pedestrian and place, and lead to an intimate knowledge and enhanced sense of bonding with an area.

Finally, there are locations in the Specific Plan area where the pedestrian network is fragmented due to breaks in the availability of pathways. This Specific Plan supports the opportunity for these informal meandering routes to occur in a natural fashion. It does not create or specifically plan them since such orchestrated paths may or may not favor with pedestrians. As new Specific Plan development standards are implemented by either the City or private development, over time the discontinuity will cease to exist. The Specific Plan envisions that certain improvements will occur in larger, defined segments. However, it is desirable that the new network of pedestrian pathways occurs throughout and adjacent to the Specific Plan in a timely manner.

The wide curb-to-curb travel distance across Orinda Drive at San Elijo Avenue, in combination with the north-to-south downward sloping grade of San Elijo Avenue which encourages some drivers to accelerate, make the pedestrian crossing at Orinda Drive cumbersome. The awkwardness of the crossing hinders the pedestrian linkage with Glen Park.

If Newcastle Avenue is to become a strong element of the pedestrian network, there is a need for a safe pedestrian crossing at Birmingham Drive. A crosswalk, pedestrian refuge, and/or pedestrian-activated crossing signal would make crossing Birmingham Drive easier and provide for vehicular traffic-calming. Increasing pedestrian traffic across Birmingham at this point would also stimulate development activity along Newcastle as well as along Birmingham itself.