Over the weekend of July 11-12, double-tracking efforts along the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) rail corridor progressed with the successful completion of the Elvira to Morena Double Track project in San Diego. The project was completed during a full rail closure between Oceanside and San Diego to accommodate work on several ongoing projects.
Double tracking enables trains to travel continuously in each direction along parallel tracks, which allows for safer and more efficient movement of people and goods through the San Diego region. This milestone for the Elvira to Morena Double Track project follows the completion of the San Diego River Double Track project in February to advance critical efforts to double-track the LOSSAN corridor, the second busiest passenger rail line in the nation and a vital link connecting the San Diego region with the rest of the country.
The newly completed railway creates a continuous 14.6-mile stretch of double-tracked rail that runs between Miramar Road and the Santa Fe Depot in Downtown San Diego.
The $192 million Elvira to Morena Double Track project began construction in August 2015 and added 2.6 miles of double track between State Route 52 and just south of Garnet Avenue/Balboa Avenue. The project also constructed seven bridges, two rail crossovers, and several retaining walls in addition to completing signal, utility, and drainage improvements.
The project was constructed concurrently with the Mid-Coast Trolley project. It required significant coordination in the area of the Trolley flyover along Rose Canyon, where the future Trolley will travel over the passenger and freight railway. The Mid-Coast Trolley project will extend UC San Diego Blue Line Trolley service from Downtown San Diego to the University community and is anticipated to be completed in late 2021. To learn more, visit KeepSanDiegoMoving.com/MidCoast.
The Elvira to Morena Double Track project was funded through a combination of federal, state, and local sources, including TransNet, the regional half-cent sales tax for transportation improvement projects.
To learn more about the Elvira to Morena Track Project, visit KeepSanDiegoMoving.com/LOSSAN.
