ACTION:
____________________________
Clerk/Secretary
Department: Engineering Item No: D1
Prepared by: Daniel Carns, Capital Projects Manager Meeting Date: May 12, 2026 Approved by:
Greg Mayer, Department Director
John Conley, City Manager Agenda Location: Discussion
SUBJECT: CIP NO. 8357 – EMERALD DRIVE COMPLETE STREETS PROJECT – PROJECT
STATUS UPDATE
RECOMMENDATION: Receive and file an update regarding the Emerald Drive Complete Streets project (CIP No. 8357).
CORRELATION TO CITY COUNCIL GOALS: Traffic: Continue to enhance mobility safety, improve the flow of traffic for all forms of travel, reduce congestion, and improve our roads and sidewalks.
PRIOR ACTION: On February 10, 2026, adopted City Council Resolution No. 2026-25, authorizing submission of priority city projects for state and federal funding consideration (Vote: 5-0).
On January 23, 2024, adopted City Council Resolution No. 2024-12, awarding the design services contract to Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. for Emerald Drive Complete Streets Project (Vote: 5-0).
On June 28, 2022, adopted City Council Resolution No. 2022-108, approving a Six-Year Capital Improvement Program and FYs 2022/23 and 2023/24 Capital Project Budget and authorizing appropriations for Fiscal Years 2022/23 and 2023/24 Capital Projects (Vote: 4-0, Ritter absent (Ritter experienced technical difficulties)).
STATEMENT ON THE SUBJECT: Emerald Drive has been identified as a location shared between the City of Vista and the City of Oceanside where there is high pedestrian traffic, high vehicular speeds, history of deadly vehicular collisions, ADA-access issues, and a need to enhance bicycle and vehicular safety. Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Project No. 8357, the Emerald Drive Complete Street Improvement Project, proposes to address these deficiencies and increase safety for all users along Emerald Drive from Olive Avenue to West Drive by installing street improvements consisting of new curb and gutter, filling in missing portions of sidewalks, installing medians, curb extensions also known as sidewalk pop outs, adding high visibility crosswalks, buffered bike lanes with green transitions, street lighting, and landscaped roundabouts at the intersections of Silver Fox Lane, Ravine Road, Chasin Street, Galbar Street, Jonathon Street/Jonathon Place, and Timothy Place/Lewis Street. The intersection improvements will provide traffic calming and include high visibility pedestrian crosswalks at each roundabout.
Staff have conducted multiple community workshops with residents to explain the project’s purpose, present design concepts, and solicit feedback.
AGENDA
REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
SUCCESSOR AGENCY
BUENA SANITATION DISTRICT
JOINT POWERS FINANCING AUTHORITY
Received and filed an update regarding the Emerald Drive Complete Streets project (CIP No. 8357) and approved staff's recommendations. Vote: 5-0
ACTION:
____________________________
Clerk/Secretary
Department: Engineering Item No: D1
Prepared by: Daniel Carns, Capital Projects Manager Meeting Date: May 12, 2026 Approved by:
Greg Mayer, Department Director
John Conley, City Manager Agenda Location: Discussion
SUBJECT: CIP NO. 8357 – EMERALD DRIVE COMPLETE STREETS PROJECT – PROJECT
STATUS UPDATE
RECOMMENDATION: Receive and file an update regarding the Emerald Drive Complete Streets project (CIP No. 8357).
CORRELATION TO CITY COUNCIL GOALS: Traffic: Continue to enhance mobility safety, improve the flow of traffic for all forms of travel, reduce congestion, and improve our roads and sidewalks.
PRIOR ACTION: On February 10, 2026, adopted City Council Resolution No. 2026-25, authorizing submission of priority city projects for state and federal funding consideration (Vote: 5-0).
On January 23, 2024, adopted City Council Resolution No. 2024-12, awarding the design services contract to Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. for Emerald Drive Complete Streets Project (Vote: 5-0).
On June 28, 2022, adopted City Council Resolution No. 2022-108, approving a Six-Year Capital Improvement Program and FYs 2022/23 and 2023/24 Capital Project Budget and authorizing appropriations for Fiscal Years 2022/23 and 2023/24 Capital Projects (Vote: 4-0, Ritter absent (Ritter experienced technical difficulties)).
STATEMENT ON THE SUBJECT: Emerald Drive has been identified as a location shared between the City of Vista and the City of Oceanside where there is high pedestrian traffic, high vehicular speeds, history of deadly vehicular collisions, ADA-access issues, and a need to enhance bicycle and vehicular safety. Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Project No. 8357, the Emerald Drive Complete Street Improvement Project, proposes to address these deficiencies and increase safety for all users along Emerald Drive from Olive Avenue to West Drive by installing street improvements consisting of new curb and gutter, filling in missing portions of sidewalks, installing medians, curb extensions also known as sidewalk pop outs, adding high visibility crosswalks, buffered bike lanes with green transitions, street lighting, and landscaped roundabouts at the intersections of Silver Fox Lane, Ravine Road, Chasin Street, Galbar Street, Jonathon Street/Jonathon Place, and Timothy Place/Lewis Street. The intersection improvements will provide traffic calming and include high visibility pedestrian crosswalks at each roundabout.
Staff have conducted multiple community workshops with residents to explain the project’s purpose, present design concepts, and solicit feedback.
AGENDA
REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
SUCCESSOR AGENCY
BUENA SANITATION DISTRICT
JOINT POWERS FINANCING AUTHORITY
05/12/2026 D1 1 of 2
MEETING DATE: May 12, 2026 PAGE 2
SUBJECT: CIP NO. 8357 – EMERALD DRIVE COMPLETE STREETS PROJECT – PROJECT STATUS UPDATE
Over the past recent years, staff completed a “shovel-ready” set of design plans and are in the final stages of signature approval by Vista, Oceanside and Vista Irrigation District agencies.
The construction phase of the project is estimated to cost approximately $12,000,000. Staff have previously applied for five grants to cover the entire cost of construction and have received the award of a federal Fiscal Year 2026 Congressional Community Project Funding (CPF) (Earmark) grant of $2,000,000, as well as $850,000 in Fiscal Year 2025 CPF funding. Additionally, Congressman Levin has proposed $3.5M in Fiscal Year 2027 CPF funding for this project, which staff will continue to monitor. Since the construction phase remains unfunded, staff developed a multi-phase construction plan to discuss with City Council, which will allow the project to be constructed over a several year period using smaller construction funding allocations.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no direct fiscal impart associated with this discussion item.
EXHIBITS:
None.
05/12/2026 D1 2 of 2
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From: Rachel Jennings
To: Public Comments
Subject: D1 - Emerald drive safety concerns
Date: Monday, May 11, 2026 10:41:40 PM
Some people who received this message don't often get email frord Lea imporan
To whom it may concern,
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I currently live on emerald & have experienced on a daily basis how unsafe it has become. I have issues pulling out on my driveway due to traffic & speeding. I support the city implementing traffic calming measures for school & neighborhood safety.
Thank you,
Rachel Jennings
Sent
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From: maria barrauan
To: Public Comments
Subject D1 Emerald dr.
Date: Tuesday, May 12, 2026 6:48:23 AM
Some people who received this message don't often get email frord imporan
To Whom It May Concern,
Learn w
I am writing as a long-time resident of Emerald dr .street to express my serious concerns regarding the dangerous traffic conditions in our neighborhood. I have lived here for many years, and during that time the street has never been properly improved or updated despite the increasing safety issues.
There have been multiple in accidents on this road, and the situation continues to get worse. Vehicles regularly ignore the speed limit, making it extremely difficult and unsafe for residents to exit their driveways and homes. Many of us fear for our safety every day.
It is necessary for the City of Vista to take responsibility and address these ongoing problems before another serious accident occurs. Our community deserves safer streets and proper traffic control measures. I respectfully request that the city evaluate this area and consider immediate improvements such as speed bumps, additional stop signs, traffic enforcement, warning signals, or any other measures necessary to reduce speeding and improve safety.
We have waited many years for action, and I hope the city will finally take these concerns seriously and work toward a solution.
Thank you for your time and attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
Maria Barragan
Emerald dr
Vista, California
Sent from my iPhone
From:Denisse Barragan
To:Public Comments
Subject:D1 Emerald Drive
Date:Monday, May 11, 2026 3:00:50 PM
Dear Mayor and Members of the Vista City Council,
I am writing regarding the ongoing safety concerns along Emerald Drive.
For the people who live nearby in both Vista and Oceanside, Emerald Drive is no longer functioning as a typical residential street. Over the years, it has become a fast-moving cut- through route where speeding, crashes, and dangerous traffic conditions have become part of daily life for surrounding residents.
Neighbors have raised concerns for years about excessive speeding, difficulty exiting driveways, increasing large-truck traffic, limited crosswalks, and the lack of safe pedestrian access despite schools and parks throughout the area. Vista’s own 2018 Emerald Drive study acknowledged many of these same concerns, and city engineers have publicly acknowledged how difficult it can be to safely turn onto Emerald Drive from surrounding side streets during peak traffic hours.
Earlier this year, a major crash near Promenade Circle caused multiple vehicles to catch fire and shut down Emerald Drive for hours. While that incident made headlines, residents know many other crashes, near misses, and dangerous speeding incidents occur regularly along Emerald Drive without public attention.
Many residents are frustrated because the community has participated in studies, workshops, meetings, and funding discussions since at least 2018 while conditions remain largely unchanged. Residents continue to hear that funding is uncertain or that jurisdictional challenges between Vista and Oceanside complicate progress. Meanwhile, surrounding neighborhoods continue to receive traffic calming and safety improvements while Emerald Drive continues to wait.
I understand there are differing opinions within the community regarding the long-term Complete Streets proposal, including concerns related to roundabouts, bike lanes, and parking impacts. However, despite those differences, there is broad agreement on one issue: the current conditions along Emerald Drive are unsafe, and the community should not have to wait years for meaningful action.
I respectfully ask the City Council to prioritize immediate and realistic safety improvements for Emerald Drive while long-term funding discussions continue. Residents are asking the City to move beyond studies and begin taking visible action to improve safety for the families, students, pedestrians, and drivers who use this roadway every day.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Denisse Barragan
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