Representatives from North County Transit District (NCTD), The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company and the Federal Transportation Administration gathered at the site of the future SPRINTER vehicle maintenance facility yesterday to commemorate the start of construction on the project in a ceremonial ground breaking. Also in attendance were NCTD Board Vice-Chair and Escondido Mayor Pro Tem Ed Gallo. The representatives participated in a tour of various construction activities along the entire rail line following the first dig.

The SPRINTER vehicle maintenance facility will be an approximately 40,000 square foot structure located near the Escondido Transit Center, on N. Hale Ave. and W. Washington Ave. Vehicles will be maintained and stored at the facility and it will serve as the central location for SPRINTER operations, dispatch, security, a fueling depot, a train wash facility and various administrative offices. The facility will also complete the final assembly of the SPRINTER coaches when they arrive in August, 2006. The light rail vehicles are known as Diesel Multiple Units, which are self-propelled.

Whiting-Turner, which submitted a final bid of $24,359,000, was named on September 22 as the contractor for the construction of the new SPRINTER facility.

The SPRINTER is a new passenger rail system that will extend 22 miles along the Highway 78 corridor, spanning the cities of Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, Escondido and unincorporated areas of San Diego County. Fifteen stations will be constructed with parking, intermodal access, and passenger amenities. The total project budget of $385.6 million includes right-of-way acquisition, engineering, design, construction, vehicles, the 1.7 mile loop to serve Cal State San Marcos and the vehicle maintenance facility. The anticipated start date for SPRINTER passenger service is December, 2007.

Regional Transportation Plan update continues

Work continues on the technical update to the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). This plan will update revenue and project cost projections to incorporate new TransNet funding and other funding sources (e.g., Proposition 42 funds); develop network and/or land use alternatives; and will serve to satisfy requirements for reporting air quality conformity analysis. SANDAG will use this work as the foundation for a more comprehensive RTP update in 2007.

Elements of the draft RTP were discussed and considered periodically at Transportation Committee, Stakeholder Working Group, and other meetings through November 2005. The draft RTP and draft supplemental Environmental Impact Report will be released for review and comment in December 2005. The final RTP and EIR will be presented to SANDAG for adoption in February 2006.

Project Manager
Mike Hix
619-699-1977