Mid Coast Trolley (Los Angeles, San Diego, Mesa: employment, university, cost)

[sdhkshdcny09]

Hi all,

I recently found myself looking over some of the plans for the MTS Mid Coast trolley line extension and am confused about the project. More specifically, why build a trolley line when would could instead route Coaster/Amtrak/Surfliner trains straight through the Torrey Pines/UCSD mesa? It seems much more logical considering that the project would essentially be killing two birds with one stone:

1. Linking UCSD with a hard rail line that provides access to destinations as far as Los Angeles. This will bolster the appeal and reputation of the university, attract significant lecturers, and better expand the presence of UCSD.

2. Straighten the time-consuming and annoying climb through Carroll canyon, lessening commute times to SD and encouraging higher ridership. I'm pretty sure that climb adds a good 5-10 minutes to the route.

Maybe it's just me, but this seems like a no-brainer. UCSD/UTC already has a local express bus service and doesn't need the extra link between the mall and the campus. Also, I think a future light rail link between mission valley and UCSD area or mira mesa could equally benefit from this infrastructure.

Refer to the attached map (and please ignore my locating of Bay Park haha)

[sav858]

I think it probably would have cost just as much if not more money to build and not brought the ridership the trolley will. Coaster is really infrequent outside of commute hours. But I do agree they need to straighten that portion and build a tunnel either way but I'd rather see UTC/UCSD connected with the trolley to the rest of SD than the Coaster.

[sschibuola]

There is a LOOONG-term plan to do exactly what you describe - basically straight-line the Coaster/Amtrak (aka LOSSAN) corridor via tunnel in that area. You can read about improvements to this rail corridor to your heart's content here:

LOSSAN Rail Line

But don't hold your breath . . . funding for any tunnel along this corridor isn't anticipated until well past 2040 . . .though double-tracking the Carroll/Rose Canyon segments (nearer-term project) will do a LOT for travel times through there . . .

[The Flying Dutchman]

Yeah, like sav858 said, it's more about legitimizing the current trolley system to increase regional local ridership by linking a major employment center to the rest of San Diego (parts of it, anyway). No offense to UCSD, but this is about a much bigger picture. Besides, with the trolley connecting UCSD, people will be able to take a trolley directly to the Amtrak/Coaster stops should they so choose. Now if we could only connect the airport, THAT would be a huge milestone.

[sdhkshdcny09]

I guess I'm still not sold on it. It's basically just imitating the 150 express/direct bus service to downtown. Wouldn't a dedicated BRT lane with 5-10 minute headways (& advertised arrival times) be more practical and cost-saving?

[The Flying Dutchman]

The 150 express/direct bus service from downtown is great between downtown and UTC... but the trolley serves downtown in addition to many other cities in San Diego. The mid-coast project is the latest leg in expanding that network, which will continue to expand into other job centers such as Mira Mesa, Kearny Mesa, etc... allegedly.

SANDAG's 2050 regional transit plan. You can find that here:

SANDAG :: PROJECTS :: San Diego's Regional Planning Agency

I'm just trying to look at it from SANDAG's point of view.