The Del Mar Bluffs are a scenic and vital part of the 351-mile Los Angeles—San Diego—San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) rail corridor that connects San Diego with Los Angeles and points farther north. Stabilizing these bluffs and keeping them safe for trains and passengers is an important and ongoing project led by SANDAG and the North County Transit District (NCTD).
Since 2003, SANDAG and NCTD have completed the first four phases of the stabilization project along coastal bluffs between Coast Boulevard and Torrey Pines State Beach. The two agencies have now identified the funding needed to complete the final phases, 5 and 6, of the stabilization project to reinforce and protect the Del Mar Bluffs.
Phase 5 will address additional seismic and general stabilization needs, install additional support columns, and replace more aging drainage structures. Phase 5 of bluff stabilization is anticipated to begin in early 2023 and will cost approximately $65.2 million, funded through a combination of state, federal, and local sources. Phase 6 will continue to provide long-term rehabilitation and stabilization work, including protecting the base of the bluffs against additional bluff retreat.
LOSSAN Rail Realignment
Simultaneously, to protect the reliability and safety of the LOSSAN rail corridor, SANDAG is studying potential realignment options that would move a portion of the rail line completely off the bluffs in the City of Del Mar. Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins secured $300 million in the state budget to move this study through the environmental and design phase—a huge step forward for a critically-important regional project.
The SD-LOSSAN Study will refine alternative rail alignments proposed in a previous conceptual alignment study completed by SANDAG in 2017 and will suggest improvements for the San Diego section of the LOSSAN rail corridor to address future demand for additional service.
The goal of SD-LOSSAN is to further refine the five previously identified conceptual rail realignments and narrow down the list to at least two preferred alignments. In addition, the SD-LOSSAN analysis will assess the current corridor conditions, such as safety and speed capabilities, to identify opportunities to improve travel times, enhance safety and add future capacity to the corridor.
With the recent infusion of state funding, SANDAG is working closely with its partners along the entire corridor to identify potential federal funding opportunities to help complete this project as soon as possible.
