Emergency repair work moves forward at Del Mar Bluffs

SANDAG construction crews have reached another major milestone in repairing the Del Mar Bluffs.

This work is part of a multi-phased project to ensure the integrity and safety of the nearby Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) rail corridor.

Crews successfully graded the bluffs; constructed a keyway, or foundation, that strengthened the bluffs; and rebuilt the slope from the ground up.

“Stabilizing the Del Mar Bluffs is crucial to ensuring safe and reliable rail operations and creating a faster, fairer, cleaner transportation system through SANDAG’s 2021 Regional Plan,” said SANDAG Chair and Encinitas Mayor, Catherine Blakespear.

“The draft 2021 Regional Plan will help enact a long-term strategy to move the tracks completely off the bluffs, ensuring the LOSSAN corridor can continue to serve the San Diego region for generations to come.”

Following the completion of the recent improvements, crews will begin construction of a new seawall just south of 4th Street in the City of Del Mar.

The work will include drilling holes along the beach; placing piles, or underground support columns, in the holes; and reinforcing them with concrete.

Crews will later place wooden beams, or lagging, between the exposed portions of the piles to create the seawall.

According to SANDAG, this work is necessary to protect the base of the bluffs from sea level rise and erosion.