SAN DIEGO, CA – The North County Transit District (NCTD) and the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) have announced the award of a $100 million State of California Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) grant to advance Phase II of the San Dieguito Bridge Replacement, Double Track and Special Event Platform Project.
The project will replace a 107-year-old bridge in Del Mar, add 0.9 miles of double track in the area and construct a special events platform at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The plan makes needed improvements to the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) intercity rail corridor, which is the second busiest in the country.
“Replacing this 107-year-old bridge is critical to ensuring that the region’s transportation network is resilient to the impacts of climate change and sea level rise,” said NCTD Board Chair Jewel Edson.
Nora Vargas, chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, said the San Dieguito double track project is a priority that will also bring safety and reliability to the entire LOSSAN corridor.
The San Dieguito Bridge Replacement, Double Track and Special Event Platforms project will replace the San Dieguito River Railroad Bridge, which is nearing the end of its useful life. The double track through this area and the construction of the special events station platform at the Del Mar Fairgrounds will add capacity to support increased intercity rail frequencies and provide single-seat travel to popular attractions such as the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club races, the San Diego County Fair, concerts and other events that attract visitors throughout San Diego and the Southern California region.
The LOSSAN corridor supports COASTER commuter rail, Amtrak Pacific Surfliner intercity rail, and BNSF freight operations. SANDAG has completed environmental clearance and design work for the project.
At current service levels, the COASTER is the largest reducer of vehicle miles traveled in the region. The increased service frequencies provided by this project will reinforce national priorities to improve goods movement, reduce vehicle miles traveled, support climate action, create jobs, promote social equity and provide mobility.
SANDAG plans to fully double the LOSSAN corridor track by 2035 to accommodate future demand with faster and more frequent train service.
