Viskanta opposes Encinitas bike lane removal and state budget fix

Encinitas mayoral candidate Rimga Viskanta is distancing herself from both the City Council’s plan to remove a protected bike lane on Santa Fe Drive and a state budget maneuver tied to the dispute. She says both moves undercut public trust and could fuel more conflict instead of safer streets.

Why it matters: - The Santa Fe corridor dispute has become a test of how Encinitas balances street safety, emergency access and political decision-making. - Viskanta’s position puts her against both the local bike lane removal plan and the state-level response, signaling a push for a more collaborative fix. - The outcome could affect future street design decisions and the tone of the broader debate over transportation safety in Encinitas.

What happened: - Rimga Viskanta, a candidate for Encinitas mayor, released public comments clarifying her position on the Santa Fe corridor and bike lane dispute. - Viskanta shared comments she submitted to the Encinitas City Council on Sept. 9, 2026. - Her comments responded to a recent San Diego Union-Tribune article that covered action by Sen. Catherine Blakespear and the mayor’s reaction. - Viskanta said the City Council’s decision to remove the protected bike lane on the south side of the corridor was wrong. - Viskanta also said Blakespear’s decision to add control language to the budget bill was wrong.

The details: - The May 28, 2025, council agenda report on item 10A outlined fixes for the Santa Fe corridor, including cutting oversized planter curbs so emergency vehicles could pass more efficiently. - Viskanta said cars turning right across protected or unprotected bike lanes are inherently dangerous. - Viskanta said the city should consider best practices to reduce those risks. - The May staff report identified other solutions to the corridor problems. - Viskanta said those solutions did not include removing the protected bike lane on the south side across from SDA. - Viskanta argued that the bike lane removal recommendation came from politicians rather than experts. - Viskanta said Blakespear’s budget language was retroactive and lacked transparency and public input. - Viskanta said she does not think the governor should support that maneuver. - Viskanta said she understands the views of people opposed to the line-item veto request and understands Blakespear’s view that removing the bike lane conflicts with the premise behind the project funding.

Between the lines: - Viskanta is framing the dispute as a process problem as much as a transportation issue. - Her comments suggest skepticism toward both local political intervention and state legislative workarounds. - She is trying to occupy a middle ground by rejecting both moves while still endorsing the shared goal of safer streets. - The comments also position Viskanta as favoring public process and technical expertise over fast political fixes.

What's next: - Viskanta is urging local and state leaders to work together on a safer solution. - The city and state debate over the corridor is likely to continue as officials weigh whether to keep or remove the protected bike lane. - The dispute may also shape how Encinitas handles future corridor redesigns and safety upgrades.

The bottom line: - Viskanta wants the Santa Fe corridor fight to move away from retaliatory politics and toward a shared safety plan. - She says both the bike lane removal and the state budget maneuver should be rejected in favor of a more transparent fix.