Progress Continues on SANDAG and NCTD Emergency Bluff Repairs in Del Mar
Oceanside, CA – This weekend, a full rail closure along the passenger and freight rail line between Oceanside and San Diego will be in effect to accommodate Del Mar Bluff Stabilization emergency repairs and continued Mid-Coast Trolley project construction.
The closure will take place from just after 12 a.m. Saturday, April 10, through early morning Monday, April 12.
An additional rail closure from Solana Beach to Downtown San Diego is scheduled from 5 a.m. Monday, April 12, to 4 a.m. Tuesday, April 13.
In addition to the extended rail closure this weekend, there will be three partial rail closures between the Solana Beach Station and Santa Fe Depot in Downtown San Diego to accommodate additional emergency bluff repairs:
• Saturday, April 17, at 12 a.m. through Tuesday, April 20, at 4 a.m.
• Saturday, April 24, at 12 a.m. through Monday, April 26, at 4 a.m.
• Saturday, May 1, at 12 a.m. through Monday, May 3, at 4 a.m.
These closures will affect four rail services operating on the San Diego segment of the Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor: NCTD, Metrolink, Amtrak, and the freight carrier BNSF. Additional service details are noted below.
The following work will be done during this weekend’s closure:
In Del Mar, crews will install several support columns into the upper bluffs just south of 4th Street as part of emergency repairs following a bluff collapse in late February. The work includes drilling holes into the bluffs, placing steel beams in the holes, and filling them with concrete. Emergency stabilization repairs are expected to be complete by summer 2021. As noted above, additional rail closures are planned between Solana Beach and Downtown San Diego in April and early May to accommodate the emergency repairs.
In San Diego, ongoing construction activities are planned throughout the Mid-Coast corridor. SANDAG crews will perform construction activities and inspections along the southern portion of the Mid-Coast Trolley project alignment. Crews will remove graffiti, pave rail crossings, prepare an access road, perform various electrical activities, and install landscaping. The Mid-Coast Trolley project will extend UC San Diego Blue Line Trolley service from Santa Fe Depot in Downtown San Diego north to the University area and is anticipated to be complete by late 2021. View the project map.
During construction, nearby residents and businesses can expect intermittent noise and lights. Please visit GoNCTD.com, Amtrak.com, or MetrolinkTrains.com for alternate route schedules.
Service Impacts
Weekend COASTER service is currently suspended due to COVID-19 service reductions; however, the upcoming weekend closures will affect Metrolink and Amtrak trains. During the partial closure on Monday, April 12, and Monday April 19, NCTD will operate a bus bridge between Solana Beach and Santa Fe Depot. COASTER service will maintain its normal operations and schedule between Oceanside and Solana Beach; however, passengers traveling southbound past Solana beach will travel via BREEZE bus. The southbound BREEZE buses will transport COASTER passengers from Solana Beach to each COASTER station, terminating at Santa Fe Depot. Northbound BREEZE buses will transport COASTER passengers from Santa Fe Depot, Old Town, and Sorrento Valley stations to all COASTER stations north, terminating at Oceanside Transit Center. Regular rail service will resume in time for Tuesday weekday morning commute.
For questions about COASTER service during any of these rail closures, please contact NCTD Customer Service at (760) 966-6500. Amtrak Pacific Surfliner tickets will be required for any Amtrak related replacement service. Amtrak customers may visit PacificSurfliner.com or call (800) 872-7245 for the latest information.
