Cardiff residents can expect parking closures and occasional construction noise along San Elijo Avenue as preliminary work begins on the Encinitas segment of the Coastal Rail Trail, project officials announced April 27.

The work starts April 30 along the thoroughfare from Santa Fe Drive south to the Chesterfield Drive rail crossing, according to a statement from the San Diego Association of Governments.

Construction runs Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and includes vegetation removal, fencing and underground utility verification.

Parking along the San Elijo Avenue bluffs will be temporarily blocked between Santa Fe Drive and Montgomery Avenue in addition to temporary traffic delays, the announcement states. There will also be temporary trail closures affecting cyclists and pedestrians.

The Encinitas portion of the Coastal Rail Trail will eventually provide 1.3 miles of pathways for walking and cycling along the west side of San Elijo Avenue from Chesterfield Drive to Santa Fe Drive.

Completion of the entire Rail Trail segment is expected in the next couple of years. More information online: http://keepsandiegomoving.com/buildNCC/buildNCC_introduction.aspx.