Del Mar Councilmember Dan Quirk is advocating for a bold proposal in San Diego County—to eliminate the existing train infrastructure. This stance sets him apart on the council and has sparked disagreements with both local residents and transportation officials.
Quirk's dissenting perspective also extends to a multi-billion-dollar initiative aiming to relocate a section of the train tracks along the fragile Del Mar bluffs into an underground tunnel. This position further positions him as an outlier.
The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) has long deliberated on the idea of moving a portion of the train tracks underground, making it one of the most anticipated projects in their pipeline. Despite ongoing discussions, SANDAG and the North County Transit District (NCTD) have already invested substantial amounts—hundreds of millions of dollars—to stabilize the bluffs and secure the rail line.
While the exact route of the proposed tunnel is yet to be determined, the majority of stakeholders seem to support the overall concept, despite the hefty estimated cost of $4 billion. The tunnel is envisioned to be situated a few hundred feet below ground and at least a mile inland from the current precarious location of the tracks. This initiative is part of a comprehensive 40-year, $160-billion regional plan formulated by SANDAG.
In 2022, SANDAG secured a significant $300 million grant from the state to contribute to the tunnel project. This grant was recognized as the largest ever received by SANDAG for work on the LOSSAN corridor—a vital railroad route connecting San Diego to Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo.
The 1.6 miles of train tracks along the Del Mar bluffs are integral to the LOSSAN corridor, a fact acknowledged by most elected officials who emphasize the need for eventual relocation. The bluffs erode at a rate of 6 inches per year, and in certain Del Mar areas, the rail lines are merely a few feet from the eroding cliffs.
Transit leaders argue that these tracks are indispensable for the region's commerce and transportation. The LOSSAN corridor handles a substantial $1 billion in freight and serves nearly 8 million passengers annually. With the majority of this traffic traversing rail segments between San Diego and Los Angeles, the corridor is regarded as the primary rail link connecting San Diego to the rest of the country.
Danny Veeh, SANDAG’s rail planning program manager, underscored the importance of maintaining this vital piece of infrastructure, stating, “It’s a vital piece of infrastructure for this region, and we have an obligation to maintain this rail corridor