Carlsbad allocates $5.2M toward rail trenching
The City Council approved an MOU to allocate $5.2 million for preliminary design and environmental studies for trenching the railroad tracks in the Village
![The Carlsbad City Council approved a memorandum of understanding with SANDAG and NCTD on Tuesday during its City Council meeting. The MOU installs SANDAG as the lead agency for trenching the tracks in Carlsbad Village and also allocates $5.2 million toward design and environmental studies. Steve Puterski photo The Carlsbad City Council approved a memorandum of understanding with SANDAG and NCTD on Tuesday during its City Council meeting. The MOU installs SANDAG as the lead agency for trenching the tracks in Carlsbad Village and also allocates $5.2 million toward design and environmental studies. Steve Puterski photo](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5690e82c-49de-4c8f-8a30-8e6adc9c5b54_1800x1078.jpeg)
CARLSBAD — One of the city’s longest-standing priorities, and at times a controversial one, got a big boost on Tuesday.
The City Council unanimously approved for the City Manager to execute a memorandum of understanding with the San Diego Association of Governments and the North County Transit District to allocate up to $5.22 million to begin studies on trenching and double-tracking the rail line in Carlsbad Village.
The MOU will see SANDAG take on the lead role for the project, which spans from the Carlsbad Village Train Station across Tamarack Avenue (also known as the long trench). A presentation by NCTD in January showed the project's total cost is estimated at $560 million.
NCTD’s five-year $585 million budget projects funding up to $155 million for trenching and two other projects. However, Chadwick said the remaining funds will come through state and federal grants.
The total cost has significantly increased over the past several years as the last projection was at least $375 million for the long trench.
“This agreement directly supports one of the strategic objectives of City Council’s five-year strategic plan, specifically to work with SANDAG and the North County Transit District to prioritize, determine costs and work with state and federal representatives to seek funding for the preliminary design and technical studies for lowering the tracks in the Village,” Carlsbad City Manager Scott Chadwick said.
He said the city’s funding allocation matches funds to secure state and federal grants. The council earmarked those funds in reserves during the Fiscal Year 2023-24 operating budget.
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