Category Archives: San Diego County

History, North Park, Railroads, Roads, San Diego, San Diego County, San Diego Electric Railway, Streetcar

Streetcar Tracks Exposed – Part 2

Leave a comment

Ongoing roadwork in the North Park neighborhood in San Diego has exposed yet more streetcar tracks. This work is a part of a bikeway project which will add raised median islands and pedestrian signals to enhance safety along the route.

The tracks for the #2 San Diego Electric Railway line are temporarily exposed on 30th St at Landis St. Both sets of rails are at least partially exposed, with the southbound rails fully exposed and northbound with one side exposed. I doubt they will remain for very long.

Tracks exposed at Landis St on 30th St
Southbound tracks and one northbound rail exposed

Information on the roadwork from the City of San Diego and SANDAG:

Landis Street and 30th Street: Crews will implement traffic control and begin demolition activities to construct median islands, curb extensions, curb ramps, and pedestrian improvements (including installing Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacons or “RRFBs”) at the intersection.

Archives, Caltrans, District 11, Highways, History, I-8, Image, Mission Valley, Roads, San Diego, San Diego County, Southern California, US 80

From the Archives – 1960

1 Comment
Taylor St at US 80 (Now I-8) in 1960, looking east. Courtesy – Caltrans

The view is looking east from the Taylor St ramps on I-8, then signed as US 80, in 1960. A lot has changed in San Diego’s Mission Valley in the 62 years since this photo was taken. At the time, Mission Valley was sparsely developed with mostly open lands and dairy farms filling the valley. This would soon change as shopping malls, apartment buildings, gas stations, and hotels replaced those farmlands.

Some things haven’t changed. The house visible on the left side of the image is still there, as are the overpass and freeway ramps. Can you spot anything else that is still there today?

History, Mass Transit, North Park, Railroads, Roads, San Diego, San Diego County, San Diego Electric Railway, Streetcar

San Diego Electric Railway Exposed in North Park

Leave a comment

The City of San Diego has a project underway known as the University Avenue Mobility Project. This will add a median to University Ave from Florida St to Boundary St and a transit lane in both directions. This work, which has begun in earnest in the past few weeks, has exposed more of the San Diego Electric Railway #7 car line. The last time these tracks saw revenue service was on April 23, 1949 and have been buried under asphalt since.

Construction projects such as these allow a brief glimpse into San Diego’s past, in this case exposing hundreds of feet of intact railway tracks. At the time of this writing, the exposed tracks run from Idaho St to near Grim Ave along University Ave. Between Idaho St and Utah St, you can see get a unique view looking between two sets of tracks, where the remainder exposed is just one direction.

Who knows? Maybe the future of University Ave will see these tracks torn up and replaced with newer rails? Los Angeles did that along 1st for the Metro L Line back in the early 2000’s. It could happen here.

Looking west from Utah St on University Ave. Here, the middle of a section of double-track can be seen during roadway construction. Additional rails are still buried beneath the pavement.
Looking east from Kansas St on University Ave. These were the former westbound tracks.
Further east on University Ave at Ohio St looking at the former westbound tracks.
Event, San Diego County, Winery

Local San Diego Wine Event

Taste several San Diego County vintners at one place.

Brought to you by the San Diego County Vintners Association (SDCVA), a non-profit trade association that supports the wine making community throughout San Diego County. With about 140 artisan and family-owned wineries and vineyards throughout the county, and a wide range of micro climates allowing for cultivation of a wide variety of grape types, San Diego County wine country is extremely diverse.  The ways to enjoy San Diego wine are diverse, too. From stylish urban wineries, to award-winning tasting rooms and picturesque vineyards, San Diego provides an array of ways to discover artisanal wines.

For more information on individual wineries in San Diego, please visit our wineries page.

Caltrans, District 11, Highways, I-15, I-5, I-805, Image, Roads, San Diego, San Diego County

Featured Image – 6/24/2021

Image
West Lilac Road OC over I-15 – only a few of these arches exist in California.

San Diego has a somewhat unique distinction compared to other California cities. You cannot travel north from San Diego, by freeway, without going underneath an arch bridge. I-5 has one at Gilman Dr, I-805 at Eastgate Mall. I-15 has the one pictured near Pala with West Lilac Road crossing over. Now I-8 needs one, somewhere to make it complete.