Traffic engineering staff recommended—and the Traffic Safety and Mobility Commission supported—installing an all-way stop at the intersection of State Street and Laguna Drive in Carlsbad Village to improve pedestrian safety near Maxton Brown Park and new residential development.

Senior engineer Miriam James and associate engineer Mindy Pham presented the staff analysis, which followed the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) multi-way stop criteria. Pham said primary MUTCD criteria (collision history, major/minor street volumes and delays) were not fully met, but two optional criteria were satisfied: higher pedestrian volumes near the park and limited sight distance at some approaches. "Based on the collected data, there is a total of 326 pedestrians crossing on a typical weekday at this intersection," Pham said.

Staff's technical findings included:
- Speed limits: State Street is posted at 25 mph and Laguna Drive at 30 mph.
- Collision history: one reported collision from Jan. 2023 to Dec. 2024 (insufficient to meet the MUTCD primary criterion for collisions).
- Sight distance: northbound visibility on State Street is partially obstructed by parked vehicles; providing the required 150 feet of stopping sight distance would require 17 feet of additional red curb but staff recommended against removing more on-street parking given village parking demand.
- Pedestrian counts: staff reported 326 weekday pedestrian crossings, prompting optional-criteria consideration for an all-way stop.
- Rectangular rapid flashing beacon (RRFB) devices are allowed only at uncontrolled crossings; installation of an all-way stop would require removal of the existing RRFB at the intersection.

Public commenters who live or own property near the intersection urged the commission to approve the stop. David Farris (Laguna Point condominiums) described parked vehicles and limited sight lines, and Eric Hefner, president of the Ocean 17 HOA, said the intersection was "a matter of time" before a serious injury if conditions did not change.

The commission discussed potential traffic queuing and impacts on a nearby roundabout; staff said queuing was not expected to reach the roundabout and recommended a phased pedestrian-crossing striping approach. Staff noted the north-leg crosswalk could not be marked immediately because an ADA-compliant ramp on the west side is missing and would be added as a future CIP project. The installation of the all-way stop also would require City Council adoption of an ordinance to establish the stop legally; staff said once the ordinance is adopted they would install the signs and pavement markings.

Action: A motion to support the staff recommendation to install an all-way stop was made and seconded; the commission vote passed 5 to 0. (A commissioner was absent.)

Quotes (exact): "Based on the collected data, there is a total of 326 pedestrians crossing on a typical weekday at this intersection," Mindy Pham said. David Farris said: "The parking on Laguna Drive has constantly been filled ... you cannot see 150 feet down that street." Eric Hefner said residents at Ocean 17 "fully support staff's recommendation to go forward with the 4 way stop."

Next steps: Staff will forward the commission's recommendation to City Council for an ordinance; after council adoption staff will remove the RRFB and install stop signs and associated pavement markings. Staff also committed to follow up if sight-line concerns persist after installation.

Ending: The commission recommended the all-way stop in response to pedestrian safety concerns and resident testimony; implementation depends on subsequent City Council ordinance and scheduling of construction and marking work by staff.