SAN DIEGO–Early Friday morning, local leaders gathered to celebrate the Mid-Coast Trolley’s construction halfway point by serving breakfast to construction crews working on the project. The event was held at the construction staging yard near the Voigt Drive Trolley station, where workers gather for their morning briefings.
The event was attended by SANDAG Board Chair and Mayor of Poway Steve Vaus and Mayor of National City Alejandra Sotelo-Solis. They were joined by representatives from the offices of San Diego Council President Georgette Gomez and Council President Pro Tem Barbara Bry. Also joining the celebration were SANDAG Executive Director Hasan Ikhrata, SANDAG Chief Deputy Executive Director Kim Kawada, and project directors from both the SANDAG and Mid-Coast Trolley construction teams.
“This is a major milestone for a major project,” Vaus said. “Not only is this project large in scale, but its impact on the San Diego region is bound to be monumental. This is the largest public transit project in our region’s history. It’s costing $2.1 billion. You – the women and men building walls, laying rails, and pouring concrete – are the ones making this possible.”
Sotelo-Solis also addressed workers, thanking them for their hard work and drawing attention to the ways in which the Trolley extension will provide her community of National City with improved access to jobs and education.
“This Trolley will not only connect cities – it will connect communities. You are building a bridge – this bridge – between communities that can sometimes feel worlds apart,” Sotelo-Solis said.
After addressing the crews, the mayors, SANDAG executives, and project managers served the workers breakfast burritos and coffee, extending messages of thanks while doing so.
Many workers in attendance commented on this being the largest and most significant project of their careers. Messages that were reinforced by Vaus.
“I hope you recognize the important role you play in this major moment in our region’s history,” said Vaus, “You’ll be able to brag to your children and grandchildren that you helped build this beautiful elevated trolley. Be proud –because we’re proud of you.”
At its construction halfway point, the Mid-Coast Trolley project remains on schedule and on budget. Once complete, workers are projected to have poured four million cubic feet of concrete, installed 27 million pounds of rebar, and laid 83 miles of railroad ties.
The Mid-Coast Trolley project will extend Blue Line Trolley service from Old Town north to the University City community, serving major activity centers such as Mission Bay Park, the VA Medical Center, UC San Diego, and University Town Center. Nine new stations will be constructed. Major construction work began in 2016, with service anticipated to begin in late 2021.