San Dieguito Double Track

SANDAG's San Dieguito Double Track and Special Events Platform project will improve the operation and safety of the rail line in the LOSSAN Corridor between Solana Beach and Del Mar. The project will include double tracking, a bridge replacement, a special events platform at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, and other improvements.

The new double tracking from the Solana Beach trench, just north of Dahlia Street, to the north end of the Camino del Mar and Jimmy Durante overpass will result in a continuous 2.1-mile stretch of double track. Some realignment of the tracks to the east is required to get closer to the fairgrounds. All of the double tracking efforts in this project fall within the North County Transit District (NCTD) right-of-way, so the project does not require acquisition of new land to build the track.

The new San Dieguito Railway River Bridge will replace a more-than-100-year-old wooden trestle bridge. The new bridge and tracks will be elevated above the 100-year floodplain level to reduce potential operational impact during severe storms, high water levels (king tides), and flooding due to sea level rise.

The special events platform will provide a safe, reliable, and direct transit option for people attending events at the fairgrounds via Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and NCTD COASTER trains. This will also reduce vehicular traffic and congestion. 

Other project improvements include signal and communications improvements, new turnouts, retained embankments, utility relocations, and upgraded drainage facilities.

San Dieguito Double Track project map showing the area of double track and bridge replacement from Solana Beach in the north to Del Mar in the south. Part of the double track and bridge replacement goes over the San Dieguito Lagoon and is right next to the Del Mar Fairgrounds on the west side. Existing double track continues north and south of the project area.

For more information, contact the SANDAG LOSSAN project team at lossancorridor@sandag.org or call our hotline at 858.549.RAIL (7245).

Project Timeline and Funding

In late 2015, SANDAG completed an environmental assessment for the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The FRA is the lead agency for the environmental review. 

In January 2016, FRA issued a Finding of No Significant Impact. Environmental permitting was completed in October 2017.

We achieved the 60% design milestone in December 2017. In July 2018, we secured additional funding to finalize design and prepare a final design package. When we reached the 90% design level on the full project in January 2020, we decided to split the project into two phases to increase opportunities to obtain construction grants.

In 2021/2022, we completed the federal lead transfer process from FRA to Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and received FTA environmental clearance for construction. 

In January 2024, we secured all construction funding for the project. We also worked with the California Transportation Commission (CTC) in May 2024 to recombine the phases of the project to minimize duplicative costs, speed construction, and reduce risks. In 2024, final design is underway and we anticipate advertising for construction bids by June 2025.

Construction of the project is set to begin in early 2026 and is expected to be complete by mid-2030.

Financial support for this project has come from local, state, and federal sources including TransNet, FRA and FTA grants, state transit and transportation improvement grants, and more. The total cost for the project is expected to be $347 million.

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