Drivers using the Balboa Avenue off-ramp from northbound Interstate 5 will be detoured for at least a couple of weekends, while construction crews add a second track to the region’s coastal rail line.
The first closures of the off-ramp are set for Aug. 12-15 and Aug. 19-22. The exit will be closed 7 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday on those weekends, according to the San Diego Association of Goverments (SANDAG).
After these weekend closures are completed, crews will determine whether further closures will be necessary to finish construction on the coastal rail line. City officials say the second track is intended to add more space for passengers on the freight service and increase overall efficiency.
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Drivers traveling on northbound I-5 to Morena Boulevard can avoid the construction area by exiting at Clairemont or Mission Bay drives, said officials.
From there, motorists head eastbound on Clairemont Drive, then turn right on Denver Street, right on Ingulf Street and then right onto Morena Boulevard. This detour will allow drivers to continue traveling north to Balboa Avenue.
Other traffic alerts are also in effect near this construction area, including weeknight traffic controls and lane closures along Balboa and Garnet avenues, from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. While these lanes are closed, SANDAG will keep one lane of traffic open in each direction along that area.
The construction is part of a region-wide effort to implement double tracks, according to SANDAG. Crews will work to relocate underground water pipes near Balboa and Garnet avenues, just east of the I-5.
Most of the construction occurs at night to avoid disrupting the flow of traffic, said officials. There’s also an app called Waze that may help the public navigate through construction areas. SANDAG and Caltrans are providing real-time information on the closures through this free navigation app for smartphones and tablets.
