By SDCN Staff
Oceanside, CA–North County Transit – San Diego Railroad (NCTD), City of Oceanside, Caltrans, and MainStreet Oceanside gathered on Monday to celebrate the unveiling of new community artwork at the Oceanside Transit Center.
“The Oceanside Transit Center is truly the gateway to San Diego, and our infrastructure should reflect the vibrance and character of our community,” said NCTD CEO Shawn Donaghy. “We’ve long heard from our customers that they’d like to see improvements to the pedestrian tunnel – with this project, we’re following through on our commitment to provide a world-class transit experience for our riders.”
The project transforms the pedestrian tunnel into a vibrant space, creating a welcoming environment and enhancing the transit experience. In addition to the community-focused artwork, security enhancements such as cameras and speakers will also be installed in the pedestrian tunnel to increase safety for commuters and extend the lifespan of the artwork by discouraging vandalism.
“Over the past few months, this project’s amazing artists have completely revitalized the tunnel into a marvelous piece of public art that reflects the beauty and culture of Oceanside,” said Oceanside Deputy Mayor and NCTD Board Member Eric Joyce. “As the representative from Oceanside on NCTD’s Board of Directors, I’m proud of the work we’ve done to enhance our public spaces while taking into consideration the feedback of our residents and customers.”
The vibrant artwork is located along the pedestrian tunnel walls of the Oceanside Transit Center. In 2023, the project was awarded a $144,000 grant through the Clean California Local Grant Program. Led by Caltrans, Clean California is a $1.2 billion initiative designed to improve the state’s highway system, local communities, and transit facilities.
“One of the things we did with the Clean California Initiative is to engage with the community in a collaborative way to get the right project for the community,” said Caltrans District 11 Chief Deputy Director Allan Kosup.
The pedestrian tunnel is part of the Art that Excites program, an initiative of MainStreet Oceanside, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting a thriving downtown Oceanside by preserving its unique identity and fostering economic growth through local businesses. The MSO Design Committee partnered with NCTD to manage this project.
“MainStreet Oceanside and our Art that Excites program is so thankful to be a part of this installation. This artwork exists because of the dedication of our artists, the support of local partners, and the enthusiasm of community members who believe in the value of public art,” said MainStreet Oceanside Director of Operations Sean Chavez. “We’re proud to see this project come to life and grateful to everyone who played a role in making it possible.”
The Oceanside Transit Center is North County’s primary transit hub, connecting the Coaster, Sprinter, and Breeze with Amtrak and Metrolink trains. The tunnel is an important access point through the transit center.
