Carlsbad, a coastal city in San Diego County, has declared a local emergency as erosion threatens an unstable section of coastal bluff ahead of forecast super El Niño conditions.
The emergency declaration is intended to accelerate efforts to reinforce the bluff along south Carlsbad Boulevard, just north of the Las Encinas Creek bridge.
The city’s action follows a geotechnical assessment received Sept. 8. The report recommended extending the current rock revetment about 192 feet north to provide additional protection for the shoreline and bluff.
“As we’ve seen throughout this year, the city takes a proactive approach to monitoring and maintaining our infrastructure, particularly ahead of storm seasons, so we can identify potential issues and address them before they become problems,” Carlsbad City Manager Geoff Patnoe said in a statement.
If the California Coastal Commission grants the necessary permits, emergency repairs along Carlsbad Boulevard could start as soon as the week of Sept. 14. Construction crews are expected to install boulders weighing between 4 and 8 tons, extending the existing rock barrier roughly 192 feet to the north.
The project will add to a major shoreline protection system that currently stretches approximately 1,270 feet along the bottom of the coastal bluff.
Built in stages to help defend Carlsbad Boulevard against ongoing coastal erosion, the existing revetment received its first 750 feet in 2009. Another 520 feet was added between 2015 and 2016.
“We understand this is a heavily traveled roadway, and maintaining its integrity is essential to protecting public safety, as well as property and our coastal environment,” Patnoe said.
Drivers should expect occasional southbound lane closures and delays on Carlsbad Boulevard between Palomar Airport Road and Island Way while the work is underway. City officials are monitoring conditions and will announce a detailed construction schedule after the permitting process is finished.
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