A huge infrastructure project that connected the San Diego Trolley to University City and UC San Diego has been up and running for some time now, but a local nonprofit said there is still a lot of opportunity to drive up its economic potential in the areas it services.
The Mid-Coast Trolley extension is among the largest transit investments in San Diego. Now that the $2.2 billion project is complete, they are focusing on economic development.
"I use the trolley constantly," UC San Diego student Nicole Lillie said.
Lillie is among thousands of commuters who rely on the Mid-Coast Trolley to get around San Diego. She's been using it since the line opened last year. She said having access to this transit system has been life-changing because she didn't have a car during her first two quarters on campus.
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"But having a trolley on campus allowed me to really explore. I could just hop on the trolley and get to a different stop and get to know San Diego and get to know this new home that I'm in," Lillie said.
Since the new line opened, ridership has increased by 52%, according to a Circulate San Diego summary.
The nonprofit think tank said the transit investment is already stirring economic activity in the area. However, they are proposing upgrading transportation options and land uses to bring new housing, jobs and biotech to the area.
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They said the recommendations they are proposing would help address the housing crisis and meet climate goals.
"More homes near the Mid-Coast Trolley Extension would help students afford to live in San Diego," Aidan Lin, with UC San Diego said.
The recommendations will require collaboration between the San Diego Metropolitan System, the San Diego Association of Governments and the city of San Diego.
