DEL MAR, Calif. — The city council in the coastal suburb of Del Mar has voted to ask San Diego’s regional planning agency to postpone construction of a new railroad bridge on the Surf Line route to Orange County, saying the bridge project might not be necessary depending on the route of a proposed tunnel that would take the rail line away from the coast.
Officials of the San Diego Association of Governments, however, say that the lengthy timeline for the tunnel project likely means the bridge needs to be built regardless of the eventual resolution of the tunnel question.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that the project to replace a single-track wooden trestle with a double-track steel-and-concrete structure over the San Dieguito River and near Del Mar’s fairgrounds is scheduled to start in early 2026. That project is fully funded [see “Nine rail projects included in Mega, INFRA grant awards,” Trains News Wire, Jan. 29, 2024].
The tunnel project, meanwhile, is far from settled; SANDAG has proposed three possible routes, and all of them are opposed by residents and officials concerned about the impact of construction, including tunneling under the residences in a community where the average value of a home is more than $3.5 million [see “Comment period on Del Mar tunnel …,” News Wire, Dec. 16, 2024]. They have suggested options including running the rail line along Interstate 5 or a bridge along the coast, which planners say are impractical.
One council member, Dan Quirk, repeated at Monday’s meeting an opinion he has offered previously: That the rail line — used by Coaster commuter trains, Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner, and BNSF freight traffic — should be eliminated altogether, with the 60 miles in San Diego County replaced by a trail. “There is zero risk of a tunnel being built in Del Mar,” Quirk said, according to the Union-Tribune. He said the new Republican majority in Congress will block it: “This is exactly the kind of project they would target for elimination.”
— Updated at 112:48 p.m. CT to correct name of council member Dan Quirk.
So exactly what box of morons did Mr Quirk fall out of?
Councilman Quick demonstrates slow intellect by suggesting that one of the busiest train routes on the entire Amtrak system nationwide should be closed for a trail (of course). Over 1.983 million riders used the Surfliner service in FY 24. And this fails to count Coaster Commuter operations ridership. Quick, sir, be quiet!
The least expensive tunnel plan would make use of the proposed bridge. If the Del Martians want a more expensive tunnel, they should pay for the difference.
The bridge project would also provide a platform to allow the Coaster to provide service for special events such as horse racing and the Del Mar Fair.
In the fiscal year of 2023, the state of California collected a total of 220.59 billion US dollars in tax revenue.
The very short-lived 49-star flag (after Alaska, before Hawaii) needs to be brought out of the closet. Weve had the 50-star flag far too long. California needs to go.
Charles, get over yourself. I would posit that California is fine; that NIMBY Neo-Luddites like the good (?) Dan Quick need to go.