Make way for Mid-Coast Trolley Line down Genesee Ave. in La Jolla

With a year of construction finished, the extension of the Mid-Coast Trolley to University City started a new phase last week as crews moved from work along the sidewalks of Genesee Avenue into the median of the major arterial road.

On Jan. 18, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) began construction on the columns that will support the Trolley’s viaduct, a bridge structure that will carry the light rail Trolley down the middle and 35 feet above Genesee Avenue.

“This is a significant step for the $1.8 billion project,” said John Haggerty, director of Rail for SANDAG. “People will really start to see the Trolley take shape as the columns start to line the roadway.”

Construction of the columns will start north of La Jolla Village Drive and move north to Regents Road. The final phase of column construction for the Genesee viaduct will start at Nobel Drive and proceed north to La Jolla Village Drive.

In the future, sections of Genesee will have full weekend closures to allow for pre-cast structures to be installed on top of the columns for the viaduct.

The project is funded in partnership by SANDAG (using regional TransNet half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements) and the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) New Starts Program.

Trolley service is scheduled to begin in 2021.

— keepsandiegomoving.com