The City of Carlsbad declared a local emergency over an unstable coastal bluff along South Carlsbad Boulevard, allowing officials to move more quickly on stabilization work amid concerns about erosion and upcoming El Niño conditions Thursday. The area of concern is a stretch of Carlsbad Boulevar d between Palomar Airport Road and Island Way, where cones blocked off portions of the unstable cliffside. For longtime residents and beachgoers, the erosion has become increasingly noticeable. “Every day I start my day with a nice walk. If there is beach, I walk down there,” said Mary Johnston, who has been taking daily walks along South Carlsbad Boulevard for two decades. Johnston said the coastline looked different when she first started walking there. “It was pretty much the same, but it had more beach,” she said. The city said it has been working closely with the California Coastal Commission and hired geotechnical experts to investigate the stability of the bluff and roadway. Those experts recommended immediate action. “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,” the Carlsbad city manager said in a statement. The stabilization plan called for placing large boulders, each weighing between four and eight tons, along the bluff to create a sloping wall extending approximately 190 feet. Work could begin as early as next week, according to the city. Officials warn the project could affect traffic in the area while construction is underway. For people who have watched the coastline change over the years, the deterioration is difficult to see. “I’ve been coming to this beach for like 20 years, and it’s just so sad to see,” one beachgoer said. Johnston said she worries about what could happen if the stabilization work is delayed. “It’s going to take a long time to go through the Coastal Commission and everything they have to go through,” Johnston said. “In the meantime, this road is going to cave in.” The local emergency declaration is temporary and will remain in effect until Sept. 15, when the Carlsbad City Council can decide whether to confirm it. If confirmed, the emergency declaration would then need to be reviewed by the City Council at subsequent City Council meetings until the City Council ends the local emergency, according to the City of Carlsbad’s site. ...read more read less