Over the last several years you may have heard the term “mobility” used in the context of city projects. What is mobility? It’s the new term of art that changes the focus on moving people rather than cars. 

• For example, the city is working on a number of projects to ease traffic congestion and generally make it more convenient for people to get around Carlsbad in whatever way they want to do that, whether that’s by driving, biking, walking or using public transportation. 
• In the past, transportation around cities was almost exclusively focused on driving, except for dense urban areas where public transit is well utilized.
• Fast forward to today and for a variety of reasons this thinking is changing.
• Carlsbad, along with many other cities around the country, are finding ways to make other modes of transportation a safe and inviting alternative where that makes sense. 

Why this is important 

There are a variety of benefits to focusing on mobility and making it more convenient for people to get around Carlsbad in whatever way they want to do that. 

	Healthy lifestyles Allows people to be physically active in everyday life by enabling them to walk or bike to their destinations, improving both physical and mental health.
	Less pollution Less cars on the road reduces greenhouse gas emissions, noise pollution, air pollutants and is overall good for the environment.
	Efficiency and productivity Less time and frustration waiting in traffic = more joy being out and about!
	Community Builds a sense of neighborhood livability with more contact with your neighbors and people you otherwise may not have contact with.
	Safety A connected network of routes support people safely and conveniently getting where they want to go.
	Personal savings Less wear and tear on your vehicle and less money on gas means personal savings.

How 

While cars are still an important way for people to get around, it’s not the only way. The focus on mobility starts with how streets are designed. 

Below are the plans, policies and studies that guide Carlsbad’s focus on mobility and the various designs used to create safe streets for all mobility choices. 

General Plan Mobility Element

Approved by the City Council in 2015, the General Plan Mobility Element is a collection of policies and guidelines used by staff to design new roads and redesign existing roads. It incorporates a “complete streets” approach to designing city streets that balances the needs of all users on the street including motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, children, persons with disabilities, seniors, movers of commercial goods and users of public transportation. It is based on one the core values of Carlsbad’s Community Vision, which calls for the city to “Increase travel options through enhanced walking, bicycling and public transportation systems."

Sustainable Mobility Plan

The Sustainable Mobility Plan was approved by the City Council in 2021 and is the main plan that guides implementation of the General Plan Mobility Element, with the goal of improving traffic safety, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing travel choices. The plan focuses on prioritizing transportation options that also are good for the environment:

• Improvements for bicyclists, pedestrians and people with disabilities
• Connected walking, cycling, transit stops and trail networks
• Programs like Safe Routes to Schools and cycling education to encourage active transportation
• Access to public transit
• Infrastructure improvements to enhance safety and connectivity 
• Mobility hubs featuring car-share and bike-share services
• Ways to get people to drive alone less, and instead walk, bike, ride transit or carpool more

Growth Management Program

Traffic data is an important tool in evaluating the performance of the city's street network. Transportation division staff collects vehicle volume data on a regular basis and is used, in conjunction with the Growth Management Plan's Annual Traffic Monitoring Program (Appendix A, Appendix B, Appendix C), to provide vital information residents, business owners, developers, engineers and planners.

Transportation Demand Management Plan

This Transportation Demand Management Plan is included in the Sustainable Mobility Plan and focuses on helping people find ways to get around other than driving alone. 

Reducing the number of trips people make alone in their cars cuts down on energy use and air pollution. The city works with the Carlsbad’s large employers to develop programs like carpooling and to provide workers with basic services on the worksite so they don’t have to drive around doing errands. The program also encourages alternative work schedules to cut down on traffic at the peak commute times. The city is doing the same for our own organization. This handbook describes the program and CarlsbadCommuter.com has more resources.

Trails Master Plan

The Trails Master Plan outlines strategies to make it safer, more convenient, and more enjoyable for people to walk, hike and bike in Carlsbad, whether for recreation or transportation, using the city’s trail system. The Trails Master Plan also includes design guidelines and projects.