Mid-Coast Corridor San Diego Trolley extension public meeting to be held

The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) will hold meetings for the purpose of public review and comments, including the distribution of a draft environmental report, concerning the proposed Mid-Coast Corridor Transit Project .

The goal of the project is to construct a trolley rail extension along I-5 to University Town Center and UCSD. The cost has been estimated at $1.7 billion for the 11 miles.

There will be eight stops on the new line. They are planned to be Tecolote Road, Clairemont Drive, Balboa Avenue, Nobel Drive, Pepper Canyon (UCSD west campus), Voigt Drive (UCSD east campus), Executive Drive, and the terminus station at Westfield UTC Transit Center. There is the possibility of adding a station at the VA Medical Center. When completed, a rider will be able to take a trolley from the international border to University City.

The main impetus for SANDAG to propose and support the extension is the 19 percent population increase all the Mid-Coast Corridor expected in the next 17 years. In a recent news release, SANDAG officials said, “The project will provide an effective alternative to congested freeways and roadways for travelers and will reduce vehicle miles traveled.”

The funding for the proposed project will come from the current TransNet half-cent sales tax, as well as the New Starts Program of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Planned work could start as soon as 2015, and the new line could open by 2018.

The Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement/Subsequent Environmental Impact Report has been completed and is available for public review and comment from May 17 – July 16, 2013.

To facilitate public comment on the document, SANDAG is hosting the following four public meetings and one public hearing:

Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Open House from 4 to 7 p.m.
Cadman Elementary School, School Auditorium
4370 Kamloop Avenue, San Diego, CA 92117
(Bus 105 at Clairemont Mesa Blvd./Moraga Ave.)

Monday, June 10, 2013
Open House from 3 to 6 p.m.
UCSD, Price Center East, The Forum, Level 4
9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA  92093
(Bus 30, 150, 41, 921, 101 and SuperLoop Bus 201/202 at Gilman Dr./Myers Dr.)

Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Open House from 4 to 7 p.m.
La Jolla Country Day School, Community Room
9490 Genesee Ave,  La Jolla, CA 92037
(SuperLoop bus route 201/202 at Genesee Ave./Eastgate Mall)

Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Open House from 4 to 7 p.m.
Caltrans District 11 Office, Garcia Conference room
4050 Taylor Street, San Diego, CA 92110
(Bus 8, 9, 10, 28, 30, 35, 44, 88, 105, 150 at Taylor St./Juan St. & Green Line Trolley and COASTER at Old Town Transit Center)

Friday, June 21, 2013
Public Hearing at 9 a.m.
SANDAG Board Room (7th Floor)
401 B Street, San Diego, CA, 92101
(Bus 3, 120 at 4th Ave./B St. & Bus 2, 7, 15, 30, 50, 150, 923, 992 at Broadway/5th Ave. & Blue and Orange Line Trolley at 5th Ave. Trolley Station)

Comments may also be submitted via mail, email, fax and voice mail. All comments must be received or postmarked between May 17 and July 16, 2013.