Project Overview
The regional Reconnecting Communities (RCC) Study is a regionwide study to understand where highway and rail transportation infrastructure created barriers and negatively impacted communities. With the information in the report, cities and agencies can seek funding to design and construct the proposed solutions through grants and other funding sources.
Find the executive summary (an overview of the study), the final report (full analysis, solutions, and implementation strategies), and all report appendices in the Resources list below.Goals and Benefits
The study’s goals are to identify community-centered solutions that:
- Reconnect communities impacted by past transportation infrastructure decisions
- Reduce the barriers created by highways and railroads in communities
- Enhance people’s connections to key community destinations
The identified solutions will benefit focus area communities by:
- Improved travel safety and reduced traffic conflicts
- More travel options that are comfortable and accessible (including walking and biking)
- Seamless travel between neighborhoods
- Enhanced economic opportunities and access to community resources
This study will also help the entire region by identifying improvements that might be used in other communities experiencing similar barriers.
Focus Areas
SANDAG, in partnership with Caltrans, studied seven focus areas within communities in the San Diego region:
- Vista
- Escondido
- El Cajon
- Lemon Grove and La Mesa
- National City and City of San Diego
- Southeastern San Diego
- Barrio Logan and Logan Heights
The focus areas were chosen using factors such as mobility, travel behavior, socioeconomic status, health, and safety data (see Appendix B).
Schedule
- 2024: Received funding
- Winter 2026: Kicked off project, began outreach and engagement
- Spring 2026: Developed and prioritized solutions using technical analysis and feedback from local city staff, Caltrans staff, community-based organizations (CBOs), and community members
- Summer 2026: Delivered final report
Budget
This study was funded via an FY 2023-2024 Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant.
Connect with Us
Subscribe to the SANDAG Newsletter for updates on projects, programs, and opportunities to provide feedback that helps shape SANDAG’s work. For more information, contact reconnect@sandag.org.