SANDAG unveils Del Mar tunnel options
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Coastal erosion is imperiling the rail corridor through the Del Mar Bluffs. Photo: Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images
San Diego regional planners are down to three possible routes to relocate railroad tracks from Del Mar's coastal bluffs to a new tunnel under the city.
Why it matters: The tunnel project will cost billions but is necessary to maintain a rail corridor from San Diego to Los Angeles, as coastal erosion endangers the existing tracks.
Driving the news: The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) last week released three potential routes as part of the state-mandated environmental review process before it can finalize and approve the project.
- In 2022, the state provided $300 million for the review and design work.
- The study will collect and respond to project concerns — from noise and traffic to its potential effects on cultural resources, housing, wildlife and water/air quality.
By the numbers: Last year, 3.34 million passengers rode the rail corridor: 1.5 million on Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner and the remainder on three commuter services, including the North County Transit District's Coaster.
- SANDAG estimates the corridor also moves $1 billion in freight per year.
Follow the money: Previous estimates pegged the overall relocation cost at $4 billion, though it's now expected to far exceed that projection.
- SANDAG has spent $33.7 million to date on bluff-stabilization projects and plans to spend an additional $88 million on another phase of temporary relief.
- A half-cent sales tax increase for transit projects on the November ballot could provide partial funding, but state and federal funds would be needed for most of the project.
The latest: SANDAG narrowed the project down to three options from nearly a dozen last year.
- Alternative A: A 6.8-mile tunnel between the Solana Beach station to a knoll near I-5 and Carmel Valley Road, running under the fairgrounds, San Dieguito Lagoon and I-5. It would add an underground stop for the fairgrounds.
- Alternative B: A 5.3-mile tunnel from the intersection of Jimmy Durante Boulevard and Camino Del Mar to the knoll near I-5.
- Alternative C: A 4.9-mile tunnel from the same Jimmy Durante Boulevard intersection to the junction of Torrey Pines and Carmel Valley roads, with a raised and widened rail bridge over San Dieguito Lagoon.
The other side: A community group has championed a different option: ending train service on the corridor and turning it into a trail.
What's next: SANDAG will host a meeting Tuesday at the San Diego Marriott Del Mar to present the route options and hear community response.