DEL MAR — The California Coastal Commission has granted a coastal development permit for the Camino Del Mar bridge replacement in Del Mar, checking off a crucial approval needed for the project to continue.
The 92-year-old bridge crosses the San Dieguito River at North Beach and is a crucial corridor between Del Mar and Solana Beach. The bridge is in deteriorated condition, with exposed rebar coming out of the concrete, and needs to be updated to meet seismic and sea level rise standards.
Estimated to cost around $72 million, the project will lengthen the 600-foot bridge by 24 feet, widen it to accommodate an additional sidewalk on the east side, and raise it to accommodate 3.16 feet of sea level rise. It will continue to offer two lanes of vehicle traffic.
Commissioners approved the coastal development permit as a consent item at their Thursday meeting, along with several special conditions related to public access, design elements, and mitigating environmental impacts.
“Staff would like to thank the city of Del Mar for working collaboratively with us on this bridge replacement project, which includes significant multimodal access, sea level rise resiliency provisions, lagoon habitat restoration and visual upgrades,” said Karl Schwing, the commission’s San Diego district director.
The current bridge features two vehicle lanes, bike lanes and a sidewalk on the west side. In addition to a new sidewalk on the east side, the new bridge will feature two new pedestrian overlooks on the west sidewalks for additional ocean views.
Commission conditions include the requirement for updated final plans with a new railing design that will allow for better views and a uniform color of concrete that will complement the bluffs and tree plantings.
Other conditions include monitoring local fish and seagrass, stormwater prevention plans, detailed construction plans, nesting bird monitoring and avoidance plans, and public access plans.
City officials have confirmed that public access to the North Beach and Dog Beach area will be maintained while construction is ongoing but with some modifications. There will also be a temporary loss of around 65 parking spaces.
“Although the project will have temporary traffic impacts, the City of Del Mar has committed to implementing measures to minimize these impacts,” a commission staff report stated.
Del Mar Mayor Terry Gaasterland said the Coastal Commission’s approval is a major milestone for the project, which will greatly benefit the region.
“These benefits include a new bridge that will last for decades, improved river and tidal flows near the mouth of the San Dieguito Lagoon, and raised road height to be resilient to sea level rise and flooding from major storms,” Gaasterland said.
Plans for the bridge replacement have been in the works for years, with state and federal transportation officials confirming in 2012 that a full reconstruction, rather than repairs, would be necessary.
The bulk of the funding — around $62.4 million, or 88.5% of the total cost — comes from the Federal Highway Administration Highway Bridge Program, and the city must supply the remaining $8.3 million.
Del Mar primarily funds its portion through state and local grants, securing $3.5 million from the San Diego County Board of Supervisors in 2021 and $2.2 million in State Priority Legislative Budget funds in 2022.
As of May, the city still sought funding for the remaining $2.6 million gap.
Del Mar has also received the permits needed from the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board and the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, said Del Mar Principal Engineer Karen Falk. The city still requires a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, and a State Lands Commission modified lease agreement.
Del Mar is on track to obtain all needed permits by mid-2025 and complete the project design by late 2025. In 2026, the city will need to obtain final federal authorization and solicit bids for construction before breaking ground.
“Due to the significant federal funding provided for the project, federal authorization to construct is required and will be completed in the first half of 2026,” Falk said. “Active construction and impacts to the community would start in early 2027 and continue for approximately three years.”
Cars, bikes and pedestrians will have modified access to the bridge for most of the project. During construction, crews will replace each half of the bridge one at a time and reroute both lanes of traffic, bike lanes and the sidewalk to the opposite side, a staff report states.
