Public can weigh in on relocating LOSSAN bluff train tracks in Del Mar
Public can weigh in on relocating LOSSAN bluff train tracks in Del Mar
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The LOSSAN Rail Relocation Project is taking a step forward to becoming a reality. It’s now in an environmental review process.
The pubic can weigh in on the project from now through July 19.
If all goes as planned, the project is expected to have a design build planned by 2026, with completion slated for 2035.
“So we know that the bluffs are eroding at about six-inches per year,” said Omar Atayee, SANDAG Acting Director of Engineering & Construction.
The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) just released the “Notice of Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report,” which is the start of the environmental due diligence — outlining goals and objectives to move the rail tracks off the Del Mar bluff while minimizing impacts to the community and the environment.
“The environmental process starts, it’s about 18 months,” said Atayee. “We have to do a whole bunch of technical studies to a look at all the impacts… Towards the end of next year, we will complete all of those studies.”
There are three alignment options up for consideration — one goes from the bluffs to the I-5 freeway; another goes through Del Mar, and yet another stays closer to the coast.
“Really, trains can only climb at a certain grade and Del Mar is a big hill, so it’s going to have to be a tunnel no matter where it goes,” said Atayee.
The public is invited to attend a June 18, 2024 meeting where SANDAG will answer any questions and take public input.
They expect the environmental process to be complete by the end of 2025. Then the design build phase will begin.
“3.7 million people use this corridor that goes between San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Luis Obispo every day. Not only that, we have a lot of goods that go up and down the corridor.”
The public is welcome to attend the meeting at the San Diego Marriott Del Mar at 6 p.m. on June 18.
The LOSSAN Rail Realignment Project
The LOSSAN Rail Relocation Project aims to address ongoing safety and operational issues associated with the rail line running along the Del Mar Bluffs in San Diego County. The Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) rail corridor is vital, moving over $1 billion in goods and 8 million passengers annually. However, erosion and landslides along the bluffs pose significant risks, necessitating a realignment of the tracks away from these vulnerable areas...
The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), in collaboration with various state and local entities, is spearheading the project. The initial steps include environmental surveying and advanced engineering work, with the goal of completing a final environmental document by 2026 and commencing construction in 2028. The new alignment will likely feature a two-track tunnel system to improve safety and efficiency.
Funding for the project includes a $300 million grant from California’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program and a $53.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. These funds will be used for constructing new tracks, a special events platform at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, and replacing the aging San Dieguito Lagoon rail bridge.
For more details, you can visit the SANDAG website.
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