Residents divided over Santa Fe Drive upgrades in Encinitas

ENCINITAS, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — Encinitas city leaders decided to forward with another round of changes to Santa Fe Drive, a stretch of road that’s been at the center of heated debate for years.

For some residents and students, the city’s upgrades have made the area safer. For others, the changes have only made things worse.

Santa Fe Drive is a key east-west route connecting the coast, nearby neighborhoods, and San Dieguito Academy. What began as a safety improvement project has become a source of frustration for many in the community.

“Someone who bikes to school sometimes, it’s really difficult going from a bike lane to just driving with the cars and then back to the bike lane,” said Natalie Gyor, a sophomore at San Dieguito Academy. “It gets confusing and I’ve come close to collisions sometimes.”

The city’s goal was to slow down traffic and make the corridor safer for cyclists and pedestrians adding roundabouts, bike lanes, and lane reductions in the process.

“With this project it’s definitely good to have the bike lane separated from the cars,” Gyor added.

At a special City Council meeting Wednesday night, dozens of residents shared their opinions on the next phase of improvements.

“If we’re going to look at things that need improvement, there is a section where the intersection is not complete yet,” said Beth Jarosez, who lives near Santa Fe Drive. “Finishing that up to make safer crosswalks for students would be fantastic.”

While some residents believe the upgrades have made it safer for students walking and biking to school, others argue the new layout has created more confusion and congestion.

“My message to council is listen to those of us who actually live here and stop trying to suggest there is political motivation behind this,” one resident said.

Despite pushback, city council members voted to move forward with adjustments to lane striping and intersection designs in the coming months.

Construction on the next phase could begin next year. City officials say they plan to continue collecting traffic data and community feedback before making any permanent changes.