The LOSSAN Corridor is home to several decades-old bridges that are antiquated and costly to maintain. Because SANDAG is committed to improving the transportation system in our region, we are working with our partners to restore these bridges. We’re also building new pedestrian undercrossings to improve safe and legal access to beaches, schools, commercial areas, and neighborhoods. Each of the projects below—Chesterfield Drive Rail Crossing Improvements, Encinitas Rail Bridges and Pedestrian Undercrossings, Los Peñasquitos River Bridge Replacement, Tecolote/Washing Crossovers, and Trestles Bridge Improvements—will enhance quality of life, promote sustainability, and offer travel choices.
Completed Projects
Chesterfield Drive Rail Crossing Improvements
SANDAG, North County Transit District (NCTD), and the City of Encinitas completed safety and access improvements at Chesterfield Drive by constructing sidewalk curb extensions, a multiuse Class I bikeway and pedestrian path, rail crossing signals and gates, and improved signage. The project was built concurrently with the Encinitas Coastal Rail Trail and San Elijo Lagoon Double Track projects. We completed construction in 2019.
Encinitas Rail Bridges and Pedestrian Undercrossings
SANDAG and the City of Encinitas completed two grade-separated pedestrian undercrossings along the LOSSAN Corridor in the City of Encinitas at El Portal Street and Santa Fe Drive.
The El Portal Undercrossing project constructed a new rail bridge and pedestrian undercrossing between Highway 101 and Vulcan Avenue, east of El Portal Street in Leucadia. We completed construction in 2022.
The Santa Fe Drive project created a new rail bridge and pedestrian undercrossing west of Santa Fe Drive connecting Highway 101 and Vulcan Avenue. We completed construction in 2013.
Los Peñasquitos Lagoon Bridges Replacement
In conjunction with NCTD, the Los Peñasquitos Lagoon Bridges Replacement project replaced four aging, single-track, wooden trestle railway bridges in the City of San Diego with modern concrete bridges. We completed construction in 2018.
Replacement of the bridges cost $31 million. SANDAG received $14 million through a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation under the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program.
Santa Margarita River Bridge Replacement
This project replaced the steel truss single-track railroad bridge across the Santa Margarita River in the City of Oceanside with a reinforced concrete double-track bridge. We completed construction in 2014.
SANDAG secured $40.6 million for the project, primarily from state Proposition 1B and Traffic Congestion Relief Program funds.
Tecolote/Washington Crossovers
SANDAG reconfigured existing tracks to create three rail crossovers at two locations on double-tracked sections of the LOSSAN Corridor in the City of San Diego. A crossover is a track segment that connects two parallel rail tracks, allowing a train on one track to cross over to the other. Crossovers help train operations to be more flexible and efficient by cutting down on trip times. We completed construction in 2013.
The total cost of the project was $9 million. Approximately $8.4 million came from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Caltrans Division of Rail provided $0.5 million from Proposition 116, the Clean Air and Transportation Improvement Act, for the project’s design. SANDAG leveraged these funds with $0.7 million from TransNet.
Trestles Bridge Improvements
Trestles Bridge is located on the San Diego-Orange County line near San Onofre State Beach. Replacement of this bridge was essential to maintaining the viability of the only railroad connection between San Diego and points north for intercity passenger service, commuter rail service, and goods movement. We completed construction in 2012.
Project Partners
