Carlsbad lagoon’s bridge, intended for rail trail, remains closed to public

A pedestrian bridge built 10 years ago across the Agua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad remains closed to the public in an unfinished segment of the 42-mile Coastal Rail Trail that, when completed, will go between Oceanside and downtown San Diego.

“There are many public and private property owners who need to agree on the creation of this segment,” said Pete Penseyres, a Carlsbad resident, in an email Thursday.

“Any one of them can say ‘no’ and stop the project,” said Penseyres, an avid cyclist, a cycling instructor, and a member of the city’s Traffic Safety and Mobility Commission.

“Cyclists now use Carlsbad Boulevard for this segment and will likely continue to do that, especially for recreational purposes, due to the open view of the ocean on one side and the lagoon on the other,” he said.

If the segment is ever completed, he said, “I think it would be more useful for bike commuters, families on bikes or other wheeled devices, and especially for pedestrians, including runners.”

The narrow bridge was installed just east of a double-tracked railroad bridge. Its primary purpose was to carry water and sewer utility lines across the lagoon’s main channel, but it also was intended to be part of the popular bicycle and pedestrian trail planned along the tracks.

“Connectivity to the Coastal Rail Trail was considered during planning, but (the city) did not move forward because of concerns with the trail traversing nearby private property,” Ca...