The Federal Railroad Administration has allocated up to $124 million for a new bridge, more track and other railroad improvements in northern Oceanside and southern Camp Pendleton.
The money announced Friday will pay for a double-tracked bridge to replace an old single-track span across the San Luis Rey River and to build a one-mile section of second tracks, called double-track, from the Oceanside Harbor to Pier View Way in Oceanside.
The additional track will join two existing segments to create 10.3 miles of continuous double-track through parts of Camp Pendleton and Oceanside. About three-quarters of the 60 miles between downtown San Diego and the Orange County border has been double-tracked so far.
The second set of tracks allows trains to pass each other, improving travel times, reliability and efficiency.
“We will also install two track crossovers along the existing railroad tracks between Surfrider Way and Pier View Way to allow trains to cross from one track to the other as they approach or leave Oceanside Transit Center,” states an update posted on the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) website.
The money was allocated to SANDAG, which is the lead agency for the project. The tracks are owned and operated by the North County Transit District.
The planned work is called the “Eastbrook to Shell double-track project.” Eastbrook and Shell are two control points along the route, where dispatchers control the signals and switches for trains.
The California Transportation Commission announced in July it has allocated $214.3 million to SANDAG for what’s known as the San Dieguito double-track project.
That project is expected start next year and includes a train stop for special events at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, additional track, pedestrian undercrossings and a replacement railroad bridge across the San Dieguito River.
Federal official also announced Friday the allocation of up to $33.6 million for rail improvements along six miles of track in Encinitas. Those include the installation of vehicle and pedestrian gates at three existing crossings, and the construction of two pedestrian and bicycle at-grade crossings, and an undercrossing for pedestrians and bicycle riders.
The San Diego County segment is part of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) corridor that covers 351 miles between downtown San Diego and San Luis Obispo. It provides San Diego’s only rail connection with Los Angeles and the rest of the United States;.
The local segment is shared by Amtrak’s Pacific Coastliner, NCTD’s Coaster and BNSF freight trains. Metrolink trains, which operate in six Southern California counties, coming as far south as the Oceanside Transit Center in San Diego County.
It’s also part of the Strategic Rail Corridor Network that links military bases across the United States.