Public Transit
Mid-Coast Trolley
The Mid-Coast Extension of the UC San Diego Blue Line Trolley is a SANDAG priority project. IT will add eleven miles to the UC San Diego Blue Line Trolley, extending service from Downtown San Diego to the University Community. The Trolley extension will improve access to growing employment, education, and residential areas in addition to serving major activity centers such as Old Town San Diego, UC San Diego, and University Towne Centre (UTC). Construction for the project began in fall 2016 and service is anticipated to begin in November 2021.
For project updates and construction information, visit KeepSanDiegoMoving.com/MidCoastNotices or follow the Mid-Coast project on Twitter and Facebook.
Overview
Freeways and arterials in the Mid-Coast Corridor are generally congested and traffic congestion is projected to increase more as the region grows. The population along the corridor is predicted to increase 19 percent by the year 2030, while employment is predicted to increase 12 percent. Take a virtual ride along the Mid-Coast Extension.
The Mid-Coast Trolley will expand transportation capacity in the corridor to accommodate existing and future travel demand, particularly for peak-period commute trips. The project will provide an effective alternative to congested freeways and roadways for travelers and will result in fewer vehicle miles being traveled.
The University community has developed as a major employment and high-density residential area, similar to Downtown San Diego. Although the University community is considered San Diego’s second downtown and UC San Diego is one of the region’s largest trip generators, neither is directly served by regional transit. The Mid-Coast Trolley extension will provide efficient transit connections to the University community and UC San Diego, as well as frequent and reliable Trolley service throughout the corridor. Transportation models indicate that the new trolley service will attract 20,000 new transit riders a day to the system.
The Trolley Extension route begins just north of the Old Town Transit Center and travels in existing railroad right-of-way alongside I-5 to Gilman Drive. It crosses to the west side of I-5 just south of Nobel Drive and continues on to the UC San Diego campus before crossing back to the east side of I-5 near Voigt Drive to serve the UC San Diego east campus and Scripps Memorial Hospital. From there, the Trolley Extension continues along the Genesee Avenue median to the UTC Transit Center (view map).
SANDAG has worked with the community to refine and develop designs for each station. View early presentations made to corridor planning groups highlighting the design features of stations in the University community, Pacific Beach, Clairemont, and Linda Vista.
Nine new stations will be constructed at Tecolote Road, Clairemont Drive, Balboa Avenue, Nobel Drive, VA Medical Center, Pepper Canyon (serving the UC San Diego west campus), Voigt Drive (serving the UC San Diego east campus), Executive Drive, and the UTC Transit Center. View station simulations.
The project will connect corridor residents with other Trolley lines serving Mission Valley, East County, and South County. As an extension of the existing Metropolitan Transit System Blue Line Trolley, it will offer a one-seat (no transfer) ride from the international border and communities south of Downtown San Diego all the way to the University community. This new service will enhance direct public access to other regional activity centers and improve travel options to employment, educational, medical, and retail centers for corridor residents, commuters, and visitors.
Project Status
In fall 2014, the Mid-Coast Trolley received its final environmental clearance from the SANDAG Board of Directors and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
In September 2016, the FTA signed a Full Funding Grant Agreement with SANDAG to provide the 50 percent federal funding match needed to begin construction in fall 2016. The other half of the funding will be provided by TransNet, the San Diego region’s voter-approved half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements.
Pre-construction activities – consisting of the relocation of underground utilities out of the way of the project alignment – began in early 2016. Primary construction activities began in fall 2016. Construction reached its halfway point in spring 2019 and remains on schedule. Service is anticipated to begin in late 2021.
Contracting Opportunities
In May 2014, the SANDAG Board of Directors selected Mid Coast Transit Constructors, a joint venture firm of Stacy & Witbeck, Inc., Skanska USA, and Herzog Contracting Corporation, to serve as the construction manager/general contractor for the project.
Companies interested in contracting opportunities on the Mid-Coast Trolley project can find more information here.
Small contractors and disadvantaged business enterprises interesting in working on SANDAG projects also can find more information here.
Stay Informed
To stay up-to-date on the project, you can:
- Check KeepSanDiegoMoving.com/MidCoastNotices for construction notices
- Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook
- Sign up to receive our newsletter
- Contact the project team with questions at midcoast@sandag.org or (877) 379-0110
Environmental Documents
Addendum to the Final Subsequent Environmental Impact Report for Proposed Work in Pepper Canyon - May 2018
Mid-Coast Corridor Transit Project Final SEIS/SEIR - October 2014
Mid-Coast Corridor Transit Project SEIS - Supplement to the SEIR - July 2014
Report only
Appendices A-C only
Draft SEIS/SEIR - May 2013
Notice of Availability: English | En Español - May 2013
Notice of Completion - May 2013
NEPA Scoping Report - October 2011
CEQA Scoping Report - July 2010
Final Comparative Evaluation of Alternatives Report
Table of Contents and Executive Summary
Chapter 1 Purpose and Need
Chapter 2 Process for Development and Screening of Alternatives
Chapter 3 Identification and Screening of Initial Alternatives
Chapter 4 Conceptual Alternatives Considered
Chapter 5 Analysis of Transportation, Environmental, Cost and Financial Considerations (pages 1 - 50)
Chapter 5 Continued (pages 51 - 102)
Chapter 6 Evaluation of Conceptual Alternatives
Chapter 7 Review and Selection of Alternatives for Scoping
Chapter 8 Public Outreach, Scoping Process, and Scoping Comments
Chapter 9 Recommended Locally Preferred Alternative and Alternatives for Evaluation in Draft SEIS/SEIR
Appendix A Conceptual Plans
Appendix B References
2001
Mid-Coast Corridor Project
Balboa Extension and Nobel Drive COASTER Station
1995
Mid-Coast Corridor
Alternative Analysis / Draft Environmental Impact Statement /
Draft Environmental Impact Report / Final Environmental Impact Statement
Cover | Executive Summary
Chapter 1 - Purpose and Need
Chapter 2 - Alternatives Considered
Chapter 3 - Affected Environment
Chapter 4 - Transportation Impacts
Chapter 5 - Environmental Consequences
Chapter 6 - Financial Analysis and Evaluation of Alternatives
Appendices
Final Environmental Impact Report for the Mid-Coast Corridor
Mid-Coast Corridor Transit Project E-newsletter
July 2016 | April 2015 | November 2014 | October 2014 | October 2014 | August 2014 | July 2014 | June 2014 | Winter 2014 | November 2013 | May 2013 | Fall 2012 | Spring 2012 | Fall 2011 | Summer 2011 | December 2010 | August 2010 | July 2010 | June 2010 | May 2010 | April 2010 | March 2010 | February 2010 | December 2009/January 2010 | November 2009 | October 2009
Project Management
Ramon Ruelas, Mid-Coast Corridor Director
Phone: (619) 699-6940, Email: ramon.ruelas@sandag.org
Greg Gastelum, Project Development Program Manager
Phone: (619) 699-7378, Email: greg.gastelum@sandag.org
Irene McCormack, Strategic Communications Director
Phone: (619) 699-1960, Email: irene.mccormack@sandag.org
Sharon Humphreys, Principal Engineer
Phone: (619) 595-5350, Email: sharon.humphreys@sandag.org
For media inquiries, please contact the SANDAG Public Information Office at (619) 699-1950 or pio@sandag.org.
Project Manager
Greg Gastelum, Project Development Program Manager
Phone: (619) 699-7378, Email: greg.gastelum@sandag.org
Irene McCormack, Communications Manager
Phone: (619) 699-1960, Email: irene.mccormack@sandag.org
Sharon Humphreys, Principal Engineer
Phone: (619) 595-5350, Email: sharon.humphreys@sandag.org
For media inquiries, please contact the SANDAG Public Information Office at (619) 699-1950 or pio@sandag.org.
Downloads:
- Mid-Coast Balboa Segment Final Environmental Impact Statement Volume 1 - June 2001 [PDF, 74 KB]
- Mid-Coast Balboa Segment Final Environmental Impact Statement Volume II - June 2001 [PDF, 67 KB]
- Mid-Coast Corridor Transit Project Public Involvement Plan [PDF, 563 KB]
- Route Map - 2021 [PDF, 242 KB]
- Environmental Review of Mid-Coast Trolley Impacts to San Diego Fairy Shrimp [PDF, 44431 KB]
- Spanish NOA [PDF, 301 KB]