Construction is set to begin along a stretch of Carlsbad Boulevard between Pine Avenue and Tamarack Avenue, where the city plans to replace deteriorating beach stairways and widen the adjacent upper sidewalk.
The work, which is expected to continue through next spring, aims to improve pedestrian access and safety on the blufftop segment of the popular coastal corridor, according to an Oct. 28 update from the city.
The overall project will replace four stairways leading down to the beach along Carlsbad Boulevard between Hemlock and Pine avenues and widen the sidewalk between Cherry and Pine avenues, a city project website states.
Phase 1 is scheduled to run now through spring 2026, with Phase 2 running from fall 2026 to spring 2027, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Construction will not run between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
During construction, one or two stairways may be closed at a time, and the city asks residents to use the lower seawall walkway or the east-side sidewalk as alternate routes. The upper path is expected to remain open as much as possible while work is underway.
City officials have said that the updates are needed due to rusting steel, crumbling concrete and narrow sidewalks, which have posed safety concerns for visitors and residents alike. The project is classified as a repair and replacement effort rather than new expansion — meaning the goal is to restore safe, accessible walkways along the bluff without altering the general layout of the stairways.
The construction is expected to roll out in phases, with stairway closures and partial sidewalk detours communicated through signage and updates from the city’s Public Works Department.
This report was written using artificial intelligence, then edited and fact-checked against source material.
