Experts issue dire warning as growing crisis threatens iconic coastal highway: 'There used to be roads … that are no longer there'

A coastal California town has seen several key land stretches wash away into the ocean, and, if the city doesn't act soon, city officials fear large swaths could erode away forever.

What's happening?

Carlsbad, California, sits on the Pacific Ocean, about 30 miles north of San Diego. As Bloomberg reported, the city has seen coastal erosion send parking lot asphalt slabs tumbling into the ocean, leaving defunct drain pipes and former curbs exposed. 

"This coastline's eroding about six inches to a foot a year," Tom Frank, the city's transportation director and chief engineer, told Bloomberg. "There used to be roads along the coastline that are no longer there."

Now, the city is trying to figure out how to protect its citizens and infrastructure from further erosion.

Of particular concern is a one-mile stretch of Carlsbad Boulevard, a road that was formerly part of Highway 101. During high tide, Bloomberg reported, ocean waves come within just a few feet of this stretch of road, known locally as "The Dip."

The city has used boulders to secure the road, but as sand continues to erode from the area, officials aren't sure exactly how long the road can last.

Why is coastal erosion important?

Coastal erosion is just one of the many effects of a warming climate.

As toxic, polluting gases are released into the atmosphere, they trap heat that warms the planet. Increased heat causes ice to melt in the Arctic and Antarctic circles, and sea levels to rise. In fact, sea levels rose more than 30% over what experts originally expected in 2024.

That rise poses a serious threat to coastal towns, including Carlsbad. 

"No matter what your perspective is on climate, the coastline is eroding, and it is coming in," Frank told Bloomberg.

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Rising sea levels are just one of the many issues caused by warming temperatures. As the planet gets hotter, extreme weather becomes more frequent and severe, with places across the globe seeing more severe tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods in recent years than ever before.

What's being done about coastal erosion?

Despite the erosion that has already occurred within their city, Carlsbad officials are optimistic that they still have enough time to act before the problem becomes too severe.

They describe their plan as "retreat now," Bloomberg reported, making changes before an emergency situation arises. Their proposal includes moving lanes inland on that treacherous stretch of Carlsbad Boulevard, with an elevated bridge allowing for the wetlands underneath to still thrive.

"Wherever feasible, if you have the space to move infrastructure back from the coast, you create a win-win situation," Mitch Silverstein, an environmental nonprofit policy manager, told Bloomberg.

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