SAN DIEGO (CNS) - All rail services from Solana Beach to San Diego will shut down just after midnight through early Tuesday morning to accommodate Del Mar Bluff stabilization emergency repairs, according to the San Diego Association of Governments.
The regional rail closure affects the North County Transit District, Amtrak and freight carrier BNSF and will be in effect from just after midnight Saturday through Tuesday at 4 a.m.
In Del Mar, crews will install tieback anchors along previously placed support columns into the bluffs south of Fourth Street as part of emergency repairs following a bluff collapse in late February, SANDAG officials said. The work includes drilling holes into the bluffs, placing anchors and filling the holes with concrete. Emergency stabilization repairs are expected to be complete by summer 2021.
Additional weekend rail closures between Solana Beach and downtown San Diego are scheduled for April 24-26 and May 1-3.
Visitors are urged not to sit, stand or walk within 50 feet of the Del Mar Bluffs or the beach below.
Weekend Coaster service is currently suspended due to COVID-19 service reductions. However, the upcoming weekend closure will affect Amtrak trains. During the partial closure on Monday, NCTD will operate a bus bridge between Solana Beach and Santa Fe Depot.
Coaster service will maintain its normal operations and schedule between Oceanside and Solana Beach but southbound passengers past Solana beach will travel via Breeze bus.
The southbound buses will transport Coaster passengers from Solana Beach to each station, ending at Santa Fe Depot. Northbound buses will transport Coaster passengers from Santa Fe Depot, Old Town and Sorrento Valley stations to all stations north, ending at Oceanside Transit Center.
Regular rail service is scheduled to resume in time for the Tuesday morning commute.
