DEL MAR, Calif. — The North County Transit District has reached agreement with the city of Del Mar and the California Coastal Commission on plans for safety fencing on the rail line along the Del Mar bluffs, postponing and perhaps ending the NCTD’s request for action by the Surface Transportation Board.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reports the agreement will reduce the length of the fence from 12,960 feet to slightly more than a mile — 5,698 feet. In some places, the height of the fence will be reduced from 6 feet to 4 feet, and in others the planned chain-link fencing will be replaced by a post-and-cable design.
The transit district had sought to install the fencing along an area where pedestrians regularly cross or walk along the tracks for beach access, but where there have been four pedestrian-strike fatalities between 2016 and 2020. The line is used by Coaster commuter trains and Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner, as well as BNSF Railway freight trains. To ensure the ability to build the fence, and to continue plans to reinforce the bluffs, which are prone to erosion, the NCTD had asked the STB to issue an order allowing it to perform the work [see “Digest: San Diego transit agency seeks STB ruling …,” Trains News Wire, Sept. 15, 2020]. Area residents oppose any effort that might limit their beach access or spoil views from homes along the bluffs.
Eventually, the three parties agreed to further negotiations, asking the STB to put the matter on hold [see “North County Transit District asks STB to delay action …,” News Wire, Nov. 7, 2020]. Those talks eventually led to the agreement announced Thursday. As part of the deal, the NCTD asked for a further delay by the STB.
City News Service reports a study will determine possible public-access locations in the area, while an engineering firm will develop a full analysis of the new fencing plan, including a visual-impact analysis.
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