SAN DIEGO– Portions of the LOSSAN coastal rail line between Orange County and Downtown San Diego will be shut down over three consecutive weekends as construction crews work to improve passenger and freight rail services by installing a second main line track and new rail bridges in the corridor.
Amtrak will install a second rail track in the Carlsbad area, south of Cannon Road, while SANDAG constructs a new rail bridge at Trestles beach, near the Orange County line. Additional maintenance work will be conducted on the line in other locations between Trestles and Carlsbad Poinsettia Station. Rail passenger impacts are as follows:
NCTD COASTER: On Saturdays, Oct. 22 and 29, shuttle bus service will be provided to passengers traveling between Oceanside, Carlsbad Village, and Poinsettia COASTER stations. Regularly scheduled COASTER service will continue between Carlsbad Poinsettia and downtown San Diego stations. There will be no impact to COASTER services on Sundays, Oct. 23 and 30, or on the weekend of November 4-6.
Amtrak Pacific Surfliner: Motorcoach service will be provided to passengers traveling between Irvine and San Diego all three weekends. Services will be limited on weekends.
Metrolink: Metrolink trains will not operate on Saturdays or Sundays between Orange County and San Diego during all three weekends. Some late night trains will also be a
ffected on Friday, October 28, and Friday, November 4.
Temporary bus schedules will be posted at stations along the corridor from Los Angeles to San Diego. Schedules will be coordinated to minimize passenger inconvenience, though passengers are encouraged to check online schedules for more detailed information.
Downtown San Diego Trolley Construction
In downtown San Diego, construction to improve the MTS Trolley system also will necessitate the closures of downtown area Trolley stations and streets for the weekends of Oct. 21-23 and Oct. 28-30. Trolleys will not run between Old Town Transit Center and City College Transit Center, though substitute shuttle bus service will be provided. Trolley construction information is available at: www.sdmts.com/trolleyrenewal.asp.
Rider Information
Up-to-date schedule information can be obtained as follows:
COASTER information: 760-966-6500 or gonctd.com
Amtrak information: 1-800-USA-RAIL or amtrak.com
Metrolink information: 1-800-371-LINK or metrolinktrains.com
MTS Trolley information: (619) 233-3004 or sdmts.com
Construction is expected to begin on Fridays at 10 p.m. and continue until Mondays at 5 a.m. on the weekends of Oct. 21 and 28. Because this is an active rail line, track work and bridge construction must be conducted in the evening. Construction crews will work to minimize noise impacts to residents and will direct lighting away from residential structures to the greatest extent possible. More information: www.KeepSanDiegoMoving.com/carlsbaddoubletrack.
SANDAG, NCTD and Amtrak are working to add a second track to the 60-mile LOSSAN coastal rail corridor in Carlsbad to improve passenger and freight rail services. As a companion to Interstate 5, the San Diego segment of the LOSSAN corridor plays a critical role in the movement of people and goods within the region’s North Coast Corridor. During the next 20 years, more than $800 million in improvements are planned in the San Diego County section of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) rail corridor. These projects include double tracking, bridge and track replacement, new stations, grade separations, and other improvements to shorten trip times and increase passenger rail service in the corridor. More information: www.KeepSanDiegoMoving.com/LOSSAN.
