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  the rEgion
 

Trolley project takes big step forward Mid-Coast Map

On Friday, May 17, SANDAG kicked off the public review and comment period for the draft environmental report on the Mid-Coast Corridor Transit Project, marking another major step forward in extending the San Diego Trolley to the University City community in San Diego. The $1.7 billion project, spearheaded by SANDAG in partnership with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), will serve top destinations, including Old Town, UC San Diego, and Westfield UTC Mall.

SANDAG will host four open house meetings and a public hearing in June to provide multiple opportunities for community members to learn more about the project and offer comments on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement/Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (Draft SEIS/SEIR). Comments must be received or postmarked by July 17, 2013 to be considered in the final environmental report.

“The Mid-Coast Trolley extension will be a significant step forward for transit access in San Diego,” said Supervisor Ron Roberts, chair of the Mid-Coast Corridor Transit Project Working Group. “Extending the Trolley service from Old Town, up along Interstate 5 to the UTC area, will connect dozens of communities, jobs centers, and regional assets like the VA hospital and UC San Diego.”

The Mid-Coast project represents the first extension of the San Diego Trolley system since the completion of the Green Line to San Diego State University in 2005. The project is being funded by SANDAG through the TransNet half-cent sales tax for transportation approved by San Diego County voters, and it has been accepted into the pipeline to receive funding from the FTA’s New Starts program.

Eight new stations are proposed along the route at the following locations:  Tecolote Road, Clairemont Drive, Balboa Avenue, Nobel Drive, Pepper Canyon (UCSD west campus), Voigt Drive (UCSD east campus), Executive Drive, and the terminus station at Westfield UTC Transit Center. A potential ninth station at the VA Medical Center also is studied in the environmental review.

Here is the list of upcoming meetings on the project:

Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Open House from 4 to 7 p.m.
Cadman Elementary School, School Auditorium
4370 Kamloop Avenue, San Diego, CA 92117
(Bus 105 at Clairemont Mesa Blvd./Moraga Ave.)

Monday, June 10, 2013
Open House from 3 to 6 p.m.
UCSD, Price Center East, The Forum, Level 4
9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093
(Bus 30, 150, 41, 921, 101 and SuperLoop Bus 201/202 at Gilman Dr./Myers Dr.)

Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Open House from 4 to 7 p.m.
La Jolla Country Day School, Community Room
9490 Genesee Ave, La Jolla, CA 92037
(SuperLoop bus route 201/202 at Genesee Ave./Eastgate Mall)

Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Open House from 4 to 7 p.m.
Caltrans District 11 Office, Garcia Conference Room
4050 Taylor Street, San Diego, CA 92110
(Bus 8, 9, 10, 28, 30, 35, 44, 88, 105, 150 at Taylor St./Juan St. & Green Line Trolley and COASTER at Old Town Transit Center)

Friday, June 21, 2013
Public Hearing at 9 a.m.
SANDAG Board Room (7th Floor)
401 B Street, San Diego, CA, 92101
(Bus 3, 120 at 4th Ave./B St. & Bus 2, 7, 15, 30, 50, 150, 923, 992 at Broadway/5th Ave. & Blue and Orange Line Trolley at 5th Ave. Trolley Station)

Community members who cannot make it to the meetings also are welcome to submit comments in writing during the comment period via U.S. Mail, email, fax or voice mail:

U.S. Mail:
Leslie Blanda, Project Development Program Manager
SANDAG
401 B Street, Suite 800
San Diego, CA  92101

Email: midcoast@sandag.org
Fax: (619) 699-1905
Voice Mail: (619) 595-5620

Once the public review period concludes, SANDAG and the FTA will respond to comments and finalize the SEIS/SEIR. After the report is certified by the SANDAG Board and the FTA, the project can move forward to final design and construction.  Construction is anticipated to begin in 2015.