SANDAG Narrows Del Mar Railroad Tunnel Routes to 3 Alternatives

San Diego County’s regional planners have narrowed the potential routes for a railroad tunnel under Del Mar from five alternatives to three.

Earlier this month SANDAG mailed residents of potentially affected areas an update on the planning process with a map showing the three routes.

The three options are:

• Across the Del Mar Fairgrounds and the San Dieguito Lagoon to the west side of Interstate 5
• From Jimmy Durante Boulevard under the Del Mar Heights area to the west side of Interstate 5
• Under Camino Del Mar linking up with the current tracks south of Carmel Valley Road

SANDAG is seeking feedback from residents at a public meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the San Diego Marriott Del Mar, and by email or postal mail through July 19.

A tunnel would remove passenger and freight traffic from the eroding bluffs, where millions of dollars have been spent securing the tracks.

“We are working on responses to landslides, erosion, and seismic activity which have caused collapses along the coastal bluffs in Del Mar and temporary shutdowns of the rail line,” according to SANDAG.

“In the short term, we are working to stabilize the Del Mar bluffs. We are also looking at options for realigning the tracks completely off the bluffs.”

SANDAG is expected to make a final decision on the route in 2026. Construction will then take six years and is expected to cost from $3 billion to $4 billion.