SANDAG Taps HDR to Provide Environmental, Conceptual Engineering for LOSSAN Realignment

The San Diego Association of Governments selected HDR to lead the next phase of work on its critical San Diego LOSSAN Rail Realignment Project.

HDR will lead the environmental clearance and advanced conceptual engineering. The firm has worked with SANDAG since 2020 on the San Diego Regional Rail Alternatives Analysis and Conceptual Engineering Study that set the groundwork for the realignment.

SANDAG’s Project

HDR, partnering with Mott MacDonald and several other firms including small businesses, will work with SANDAG to complete the CEQA and NEPA processes in 2026 to support the goal of opening the relocated rail line by 2035.

“This project has been the highlight of my career, with a goal of creating solutions that benefit everyone involved,” said HDR Principal-in-Charge Rob Klovsky. “Not only is it a vital project that will keep our community connected to a national resource, but it’s also a crucial step towards addressing climate change. With the trust and leadership of SANDAG, I am confident that we can bring this project to fruition and keep our community connected.”

Within the city of Del Mar, the existing single track sits atop coastal bluffs that are rapidly eroding and threatened by sea level rise. The project will relocate about five miles of the rail line inland, from the bluffs to a double-tracked alignment located primarily in tunnel and through Los Peñasquitos Lagoon in the City of San Diego.

Benefits of the LOSSAN Corridor Project

SANDAG anticipates the project will enhance safety, reliability, and increase capacity along the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo, or LOSSAN, Rail Corridor.

The project will also be the first on the LOSSAN Corridor designed to accommodate train speeds up to 110 mph, paving the way for future speed improvement projects on the corridor.