SAN DIEGO — Nearly one year after asking the public for feedback on realignments for the rail corridor through Del Mar, SANDAG is repeating this process for a second time with a revised set of rail alternatives before moving into the environmental review phase.
The new notice of preparation (NOP), issued May 16, initiates a 45-day public comment period before SANDAG can begin work on the draft environmental impact report (EIR) for a proposal to relocate 1.7 miles of the LOSSAN (Los Angeles-San Luis Obispo-San Diego) rail corridor off the failing Del Mar bluffs and further inland.
Within the draft EIR, SANDAG must study a “reasonable range” of alternatives in addition to a no-build option.
Progress on the environmental review process halted last year following strong pushback to the three proposed alternatives in the first NOP. In the fall, SANDAG initiated a value analysis process with several stakeholders, including the Fairgrounds and the cities of Solana Beach and Del Mar, exploring 16 broader route options.
SANDAG staff then refined these concepts into the four options that the SANDAG board of directors approved in March.
This new NOP outlines four alternatives plus a no-build option to be considered within the draft EIR: one route running under Crest Canyon in Del Mar, one under Camino Del Mar, one starting at the San Dieguito Bridge and running east to Interstate 5, and an option to keep the tracks on the bluffs with double-tracking and continued stabilization.
Comments regarding the NOP will be accepted until June 30. A public scoping meeting will be held on May 29 from 6-7:30 p.m. at The Sound at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.
San Dieguito Bridge to I-5
The San Dieguito Bridge alignment would begin at the south end of the San Dieguito Rail Bridge, which will be reconstructed as part of the San Dieguito Double Track Project. The route would continue south to pass over Jimmy Durante Boulevard and then over Racetrack View Drive on a bridge.
It would then enter a north tunnel portal in Crest Canyon Open Space Park south of Racetrack View Drive, and head southeast in a tunnel along I-5 before exiting a south portal at a knoll along the highway, and rise above ground to connect to the existing tracks north of the Sorrento Valley Station.
The NOP also describes another design variation for the northern end of the alignment, where it would transition from the planned special events rail platform — also part of the San Dieguito Double Track Project — rather than the south end of the rail bridge.
This alternative would stretch 5.3 miles and cost between $3.7 billion to $5 billion.
Under Crest Canyon
This alternative would descend immediately south of the new San Dieguito Rail Bridge and enter a north tunnel portal under Jimmy Durante Boulevard near the intersection with Camino del Mar.
It would continue southeast beneath Crest Canyon and exit the south portal at the knoll near I-5 south before rising above ground to connect to the existing tracks north of the Sorrento Valley Station.
This route would be approximately 5.1 miles long and cost $3.7 billion to $5 billion.
Under Camino del Mar
Like the Crest Canyon alternative, the Camino del Mar alternative would descend immediately south of the new San Dieguito Rail Bridge and enter the north tunnel portal under Jimmy Durante Boulevard.
It would then continue south, mainly following under Camino Del Mar, and exit a south portal near the intersection of North Torrey Pines Road and Carmel Valley Road. The tracks would continue on the bridge over Los Peñasquitos Lagoon and rejoin the existing railway.
This alignment, stretching around 4.9 miles, would also double-track the existing rail bridge across Los Peñasquitos Lagoon, requiring the berm to be widened and raised. The cost of this route ranges from $3.3 billion to $4.4 billion.
Bluffs Double Track reinforced
Also known as the non-tunnel alignment, this option would keep the tracks at their current location along the bluff, add a second track to achieve double-tracking, and increase bluff stabilization infrastructure.
This alignment would also involve lowering the tracks into a trench south of the Camino Del Mar roadway bridge so that they pass under Coast Boulevard, removing the current at-grade roadway crossing.
Costs for this route would be at least $1.9 billion.
Next steps
SANDAG will commence technical studies in the summer to evaluate potential impacts on air quality, noise, traffic, water and biological resources, visual character, property, and other elements. These effects will be outlined in the draft EIR, which will be circulated for public comment.
SANDAG officials have emphasized that the project is still very early in the environmental review phase, and the routes could still be changed or altered with further study. The final EIR will take around three years to complete, according to agency officials.
“Refinements to the alternative concepts will continue to be made throughout the environmental process based on technical engineering and environmental analysis, public feedback, and the direction of the SANDAG Board,” SANDAG said in a press release.
SANDAG is currently utilizing $300 million in state funds, obtained by former Sen. Toni Atkins in 2022, to complete the environmental process and advance engineering work. The funds will expire in 2027, and according to SANDAG, $21 million had been spent as of February.
The agency has not identified any funding for the construction of the project.
The SANDAG board will decide the final route. The North County Transit District, which owns and operates the railroad right-of-way, will also have to sign off on whatever path is chosen.
At an NCTD Board of Directors meeting on Friday, NCTD CEO Shawn Donaghy said now is the time for board members to make their voices heard regarding the NOP. However, he said the agency will also need to be careful about any official stances regarding proposed routes at this point.
“We as an agency have to be very careful with the comments that we give, because at the end of the day, we as the agency will have sort of the overriding decision over whether we think that’s the best course of action because it’s our railroad,” Donaghy said.
In addition to protecting the rail from the impacts of climate change, including sea level rise and bluff failure, the LOSSAN Rail Realignment project is also intended to increase the capacity, reliability and speed of passenger and freight rail.
Other project objectives included in the NOP are:
- Minimize impacts to homes, businesses, tourism and economic generators such as the Del Mar Fairgrounds
- Avoid negative impacts on biological, cultural, recreational and historical resources
- Improve coastal access and safety by eliminating at-grade railroad crossings and minimizing points of interaction between rail and other modes of transportation
- Accommodate direct rail access to the 22nd District Agricultural Association
- Delivering the project in a timely way that considers prior and ongoing investments, construction, right-of-way, operations, and maintenance costs.
