Clean & Efficient Transportation
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The Clean and Efficient Transportation Strategy in the City’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) aims to increase zero and low-emission transportation options by leveraging City planning, capital improvement and other initiatives to encourage the community to take transit, carpool, walk, bike, drive electric vehicles or commute alternatively, as opposed to driving gasoline powered vehicles alone. Internal combustion engine exhaust from on-road transportation is the largest contributor to the City’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
In 2022, California regulators adopted the Advanced Clean Cars II rule, policy that mandates the phase out of the sale of new gasoline‑powered vehicles in the state. The regulation requires automakers to steadily increase the share of zero‑emission vehicles they sell starting with the 2026 model year, ultimately reaching 100 percent zero‑emission new car sales by 2035. This policy, along with other state and federal policies, will drastically reduce GHG emissions in the future. Complimentary to these statewide regulations, Encinitas’s local policies work toward reducing the frequency and distance vehicles travel in addition to preparing for a large increase in electric vehicle use within Encinitas.
To implement the Clean and Efficient Transportation Strategy, the CAP specifies goals to reduce vehicle miles traveled, reduce on-road fuel use and increase the use of alternative fuels.
Implementation of the Clean and Efficient Transportation strategy is estimated to reduce the City’s greenhouse gas emissions 4,481 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e) by 2020 and 5,900 MTCO2e by 2030.
Reduce VMT
Reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled
Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) data shows how much people are driving in a given timeframe. We can reduce our community’s VMT by choosing transportation options like walking, biking, taking public transit, and carpooling to reduce the number of miles we drive alone. In 2012, the total VMT in Encinitas was approximately 1.4 million miles per day, which equates to 538 million miles traveled in that year.
UNIT | Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) is a measurement that estimates the total amount of miles vehicles travel within a certain area and in a given timeframe. The City measures VMT for Encinitas annually. | VMTVehicle Miles Traveled |
Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) is a measurement that estimates the total amount of miles vehicles travel within a certain area and in a given timeframe. The City measures VMT for Encinitas annually. | VMTVehicle Miles Traveled |
Last updated July 10, 2024
CET-1: Complete and Implement the Citywide Active Transportation Plan
Citywide Active Transportation Plan
CAP Measure CET-1 aims to implement the City’s Active Transportation Plan (ATP.) An ATP addresses local and regional bike and pedestrian travel by establishing proposed biking and walking facilities and improvements to multimodal connections to public transit. Completion of the proposed bicycle and pedestrian projects established in the ATP would reduce emissions by an estimated 254 MTCO2e.
In 2023, the City completed the Modal Alternatives Plan (MAP), an implementation planning document for the ATP. The MAP prioritized all of the projects identified in the ATP and selected the top 35 bicycle and pedestrian projects the City should implement first for maximum multimodal benefits. Citywide projects reflect the top 10 prioritized projects while the remaining 25 represent the top five bicycle or pedestrian projects in each of the five Encinitas communities. City staff continue to make progress installing active transportation projects as annual budget allows.
CET-2: Implement a Local Shuttle System
Local Shuttle System
CAP Measure CET-2 estimated that adding a microtransit system as a new local transit option could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 130 MTCO2e by 2020 and 178 MTCO2e by 2030.
In 2024, the City authorized the development of a Microtransit Study to identify innovative, small-scale transit solutions, such as a local shuttle system, in order to reduce VMT. The Encinitas Microtransit Study is funded through a combination of sources, including a $50,000 in development impact fees, $50,000 from San Diego Community Power’s Member Agency Grant, and a $122,000 U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant. It is anticipated that the study will be completed in 2026.
CET-3: Improve Traffic Flow
Reduce On-Road Fuel Use
Reducing road congestion and improving traffic flow can lead to decreases in vehicle fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions. CAP Measure CET-3 mandates retiming the City’s traffic signals and installing roundabouts as two methods to achieve this. By 2020, the CAP aimed to retime 60 traffic signals and install three roundabouts. By 2030, the CAP commits to the installation of an additional four roundabouts to improve traffic flow. These actions are projected to reduce GHG emissions by approximately 3,671 MTCO2e in 2020 and 1,241 MTCO2e in 2030.
As part of the Leucadia Streetscape Phase 1, in 2022, a roundabout was constructed on North Coast Highway 101 and El Portal Street. Two additional roundabouts planned as part the Leucadia Streetscape Project Segment C West completed their design phase in 2022 and began construction in 2024; both are located along North Coast Highway 101, one at the Jupiter Street intersection and one at Grandview. A third privately designed and funded roundabout will be installed along North Coast Highway 101 at the Moorgate intersection, as conditioned in a private development project approved in 2022.
There are two other planned roundabouts that are designed and permitted but are awaiting funding to begin construction; they will be located at Leucadia Blvd and Hygeia Ave and at Birmingham Dr and Newcastle Ave. The previously planned roundabout for the intersection of Santa Fe Drive and Crest Drive has been removed from the Santa Fe East project due to budget constraints.
In addition to roundabout installation, the City’s Traffic Division continuously monitors all of the City’s traffic signals and regularly makes small adjustments to improve traffic flow and safety for cyclists and pedestrians, as needed.
Increase Use of Alternative Fuels
Drive Electric Vehicles
Vehicles that are battery-powered do not directly produce emissions unlike vehicles that run on gasoline or diesel. By supporting a network of electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS), the City can help facilitate the switch to electric vehicles. Thus, CAP Measure CET-4 and CET-5 require the installation of EVCS at both residential and nonresidential developments, respectively.
CET-5: Require Commercial Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations
Commercial EV Charging Stations
In 2019, City Council adopted an ordinance enacting a new regulation requiring new commercial (nonresidential) developments to install electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) for 8 percent of the total number of parking spaces, effective January 1, 2020. This requirement was readopted concurrent with the incorporation of the state’s triennial code amendment updates, effective January 1, 2026. As a result of this code, the CAP estimated that 150 EVCS will be installed by 2020 and 490 EVCS will be installed by 2030 at new nonresidential developments. Meeting these goals is projected to decrease greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 440 MTCO2e by 2020 and 3,582 MTCO2e by 2030.
As of December 2025, there were 64 publicly available charging stations in Encinitas. While the ordinance is in place and being enforced, available data suggests nonresidential development is occurring at a slower pace than anticipated by the CAP.
An Electric Vehicle Charging Station Dashboard has been created for residents and visitors to easily locate all publicly available charging stations in Encinitas!
Increase Use of Alternative Fuels
EV Charging Station Master Plan
In 2023, the City adopted the Electric Vehicle Charging Station Master Plan (EVCS Master Plan) in support of Climate Action Plan Goal 4.3 to Increase the Use of Alternative Fuels. The EVCS Master Plan evaluated existing EVCS infrastructure, conducted a needs assessment, defined future charging station location alternatives and developed a plan to install EV charging stations throughout the community to support residents in transitioning to clean transportation options. The EVCS Master Plan continues to guide the City’s efforts to support the installation of public EV charging stations. City staff continues to seek and apply for grant funding to install the public EV charging stations outlined in the EVCS Master Plan.
MCET-2: Adopt a Municipal Employee Telecommute Policy
Municipal Telecommute Policy
When the City’s CAP was updated in 2020, CAP Measure MCET-2 was added, which directs the City to implement a telecommuting policy for City employees. Telecommuting assists in decreasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by reducing the number of vehicle miles traveled by employees. The City’s CAP estimated that this measure would avoid 170,000 miles of commuting to and from municipal facilities and reduce GHG emissions by 50 MTCO2e in 2030.
City employees have the option to telecommute one to two days per week, subject to job function and management approval. For example, Public Works crews must be onsite to conduct maintenance in the field and cannot telecommute.
In 2024, the City conducted a commuter survey though San Diego Association of Governments to assess City employee commute habits. Respondents represented various municipal workplaces, including City Hall, Public Works, the San Diego Water District, Fire Stations, Marine Safety and the Community and Senior Center. The survey findings indicate that approximately 65 percent of employees work a 9/80 schedule, showing that the majority employees do not commute to their workplace at at least one day every two weeks. The average commute distance of the respondents was 16 miles, one-way. Approximately 83 percent of respondents commute using single-occupancy vehicles (SOV), a figure slightly higher than the San Diego regional average of 80 percent.
In 2025, the City of Encinitas received the Gold Award from the San Diego Association of Governments as a part of the Excellence in Commuter Programs Diamond Awards for its employee alternative commute efforts. This award recognized the City of Encinitas’s efforts in promoting alternative transportation options for employees like biking, transit, teleworking and compressed workweek schedules.
Vehicle Miles Traveled
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Last updated September 28, 2022
