SANDAG

SANDAG to Hold Public Scoping Meeting on Central Mobility Hub Project Tonight

Photo by Robert Benson/For the North County Times/Shown is a sign inside the SANDAG headquarters at the Wells Fargo Building in San Diego Friday afternoon. (Photo by Robert Benson - for the North County Times)
Robert Benson/North County Times

The San Diego Association of Governments, or SANDAG, will host a virtual public scoping meeting for the Central Mobility Hub environmental impact report at 6 p.m. Tuesday night.

During the meeting, the regional agency will share more information about the project and the alternatives that will be studied.

The public is invited to submit comments about the environmental review, engage with the project team and ask questions. To join the virtual meeting, click here.

The Central Mobility Hub is envisioned to be a transportation center that would improve how people move throughout the San Diego region by connecting a variety of transportation options, including a direct transit link to San Diego International Airport.

"This one-stop-shop hub of connectivity will bring transportation, housing, jobs and entertainment to one centralized location," said SANDAG Executive Director Hasan Ikhrata.

"Public input is vital to the first step in this process to create the Central Mobility Hub, a critical component to a faster, fairer, cleaner transportation network in the San Diego region."

In addition to providing a direct transit connection to the airport, SANDAG leaders believe the Central Mobility Hub could also serve as one of the region's primary transportation centers -- connecting Amtrak, the North County Transit District's Coaster line, the trolley, rapid and local bus services and future modes of transit with other mobility options, public services, amenities, jobs and housing.

SANDAG is exploring two potential locations for the hub, as well as a trolley connection alternative.

The first location, the Intermodal Transportation Center, is a 13-acre site located near the northeastern edge of the airport between Interstate 5 and Pacific Highway, south of Washington Street. That site could provide direct connections to all regional transit services, other mobility options, and the airport.

A rendering of how the Central Mobility Hub would look like from the Intermodal Transportation Center.
SANDAG
A rendering of how the Central Mobility Hub would look like from the Intermodal Transportation Center.

The second location, the Navy Old Town Campus, is a 70.5-acre site located west of the 5 freeway and south of Old Town. SANDAG is working with the Navy to explore the opportunity to include the hub on a portion of the site. According to the agency, the location also includes the potential for supportive land uses -- such as housing, office space and retail -- in addition to direct connections to all regional transit services, other mobility options, and the airport.

A rendering of how the Central Mobility Hub would look like from the Navy Old Town Campus.
SANDAG
A rendering of how the Central Mobility Hub would look like from the Navy Old Town Campus.

The Navy is seeking to redevelop the site to provide modernized Naval Information Warfare Systems Command facilities. Two of the five alternatives being studied by the Navy include the development of a transit center, which could be the Central Mobility Hub.

The Navy is evaluating the potential revitalization of the Old Town Campus on a separate and independent basis from the Central Mobility Hub project. SANDAG is working with the Navy and other agencies to ensure collaboration and information sharing between the projects.

An extension of the trolley to San Diego International Airport is also being studied as a project alternative. This alternative would extend west from the existing trolley alignment toward the airport via an underground trench/tunnel below Grape and Hawthorne Streets. Under this alternative, a Central Mobility Hub would not be constructed.

A rendering of how the Central Mobility Hub would look like from an extended trolley line.
SANDAG
A rendering of how the Central Mobility Hub would look like from an extended trolley line.

The environmental impact report for the hub will study all aspects of the project, including the proposed project and alternatives, a proposed direct transit connection to San Diego International Airport and improvements to local roads and highway access.

More information about the project can be found online.

Copyright CNS - City News Service
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