Crews Set to Begin Years of Work to Replace Aging Bridge Over Batiquitos Lagoon

Caltrans and regional crews plan to start construction Monday on the Batiquitos Lagoon Double Track project.

The project will add nearly a mile of new double track between the cities of Encinitas and Carlsbad and replace an 80-year-old wooden trestle bridge with a new modern, concrete double-track bridge designed to improve tidal flow for local wildlife.

Currently, the existing single track creates a bottleneck for trains traveling through the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) corridor, resulting in frequent travel delays for both passenger and freight trains.

The addition of the second track will allow trains to continue traveling without slowing down or stopping, improving overall efficiency and travel time reliability.

The work will begin with the installation of steel pipes into the ground to provide the foundation needed for a temporary construction platform parallel to the existing rail bridge. Once the platform is constructed, crews will be able to safely replace the existing bridge.

The project also will replenish South Ponto State Beach in Carlsbad, along with nearby California Least Tern nesting habitat, with up to 70,000 cubic yards of beach-quality sand.

Initial activities for the sand replenishment are expected to begin later this year. South Ponto State Beach will remain open during this part of the project, wich is expected to take four years.

The Batiquitos Lagoon Double Track project spans 0.6 miles across Batiquitos Lagoon, from La Costa Avenue in Encinitas to north of Avenida Encinas in Carlsbad. The North County Transit District, Amtrak and BNSF Railway share use of the LOSSAN Corridor.

The majority of work is set for Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., with occasional weekend work. During work hours, nearby residents and businesses can expect intermittent but continual noise from construction and vehicle backup alarms required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The $166 million project is fully funded by a combination of state and local funds, including TransNet, the regional half-cent sales tax for transportation administered by the San Diego Association of Governments, known as SANDAG.

Construction is anticipated to be completed in 2028, with a portion of the work put on pause from April 15 to July 31 each year during peak nesting season for the threatened and endangered California Least Tern.

The Batiquitos Lagoon Double Track project is part of Caltrans and SANDAG’s North Coast Corridor Program, a 40-year plan to create a balanced set of transportation, environmental and coastal access projects.