The Complicated History of the Cardiff Rail Trail
The Coastal Rail Trail is a regional project that will eventually link Oceanside to San Diego with an accessible trail for cycling, walking, and running. The Cardiff section of the Coastal Rail Trail (the Cardiff Rail Trail) has been in the planning stages for more than 25 years, starting with a feasibility study in 1989. After many false starts, the project was eventually prioritized by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) in 2012. With funding in place, plans were drawn up for an east-side alignment along San Elijo Avenue in the Cardiff rail corridor consistent with the original feasibility study.
The early plans for the Cardiff Rail Trail were shared with Encinitas residents at a series of public meetings in 2013, 2014, and 2015. At the very last meeting in April of 2015, SANDAG offered up a twist on the project plan: They presented Encinitas residents and elected officials with a choice between two alignments of the rail trail. The first alternative was the east-side alignment through the rail corridor that had been contemplated for the entire history of the project. The second was something new, a west-side alignment along Route 101 that would consist of basic improvements to the existing pedestrian and bike path that is already there.
Cardiff residents were immediately polarized by the two choices. The west-side alignment drew support from a group of Cardiff residents long opposed to building the trail in the rail corridor. A second group of Cardiff residents wanted the original east-side alignment.
The Encinitas City Council endorsed the east-side alignment in May of 2015. This angered the residents who did not want a trail in the rail corridor, and they launched a well-organized advocacy campaign in November of 2015 to pressure the City Council to either block the rail trail entirely or at least reverse their decision and endorse SANDAG's new Route 101 option instead. Under the banner of "No Rail Trail", the opposition campaign included a web site, a Facebook page, and a presence at many City Council meetings (with members of the "No Rail Trail" group pulling speaker slips and stating their opposition at the dais).
This aggressive "No Rail Trail" campaign prompted a significant backlash among the residents who wanted a rail trail as a community amenity and favored the original east-side alignment. A "YES" campaign emerged as these supporters began to organize in turn and fight back with equal intensity.
The alignment issue became a very hot topic in Encinitas and divided the community between late 2015 and early 2016. There were passionate feelings on both sides. The east-side and west-side advocacy groups were very active, engaging in community outreach and and investing hundreds of hours of volunteer time.
The "No Rail Trail" group based their opposition to the east side alignment primarily on the loss of beach access resulting from the requirement for a fence to go with the trail (mandated by North County Transit District, who owns the railroad right-of-way). The fence would force some people who live nearby to either clamber over the four foot post-and-cable barrier to get across the tracks illegally or detour to a safe and legal railroad/road crossing instead. Other east-side trail opponents were concerned about reduced parking on San Elijo Avenue because some parking spaces were to be traded for room to walk, run, and bike on the narrow bluff top near Santa Fe. Finally, a number of trail opponents wanted to leave the open space in the rail corridor south of Verdi and north of Chesterfield completely undeveloped.
Proponents of the east-side alignment made the case that the new rail trail would connect the communities along the rail corridor, solve serious safety issues on north San Elijo Avenue where pedestrians were forced out into traffic by haphazard parking on the bluff top, and open up the corridor to recreational use by walkers, runners, and cyclists of all ages and abilities. The east-side proponents countered the arguments about the required fence with the assertion that the fence would eventually be built anyway (as NCTD has publicly stated). Also, a new pedestrian railroad and road crossing at Montgomery Avenue or Verdi Avenue would provide safe and legal beach access, eliminating the need for residents to run across the tracks and then Route 101 illegally. East-side advocates also believed that giving up some parking on the north part of San Elijo in exchange for significantly improved pedestrian and bike safety (and accessibility) was a trade-off worth making. As for the impact of the trail on the environment, east-side supporters were convinced that the new trail would be a huge improvement over the chaotic dirt parking lot running along San Elijo to the north and would blend in with the open space in the south (where it would wind through the vegetation and terrain features).
This web site is maintained by The Friends of the Cardiff Rail Trail, the largest advocacy group that supported the east-side alignment. Our pro-trail group had a list of over 1,700 people who went on the record supporting the east-side trail.
The "No Rail Trail" opposition group was also very well organized and had a list of over 1,400 people opposing the east-side alignment.
Both advocacy groups created and maintained sophisticated web sites, Facebook pages, and social media campaigns. Both groups spoke repeatedly in front of the City Council. Both groups went door to door in Encinitas to talk to residents and held several meetings with representatives of the Encinitas City Council, SANDAG, the California Coastal Commission, and NCTD.
During January and February of 2016, the furor around the alignment issue reached new heights. There were demonstrations at a SANDAG public meeting, rallies, and a flood of media coverage. Facebook and the online Nextdoor neighborhood community became battlefields. Neighbor was pitted against neighbor. The Cardiff community was torn apart.
In late February the east-side opponents increased the stakes by putting direct political pressure on the Encinitas City Council members who had originally supported the east-side alignment, putting up signs that called out council members by name. The drama came to a head on March 30, 2016 when the Council reversed itself and endorsed the west-side 101 alignment after hours of public testimony in favor and against. SANDAG deferred to the City and began planning for the west-side alignment.
With the City Council and SANDAG pursuing the west-side alignment of the Cardiff Rail Trail, the story seemed to reach its end. The "No Rail Trail" group declared victory. The east-side supporters (including this advocacy group) retreated to lick their wounds.
However, the story wasn't over at all. Once the staff at the California Coastal Commission got wind of the switch from the east-side alignment to the west-side alignment in the summer of 2016, they sent a sharply worded letter to SANDAG saying that the west-side alignment wasn't compliant with the regional Public Works Plan that defined the constraints for the Coastal Rail Trail. The Coastal Commission staff also made the point that the east-side alignment had been in the works for more than 20 years. The west-side alignment met neither the spirit nor the letter of the conditions attached to its funding.
SANDAG decided to proceed with the west side alignment anyway. They tried to get the Coastal Commissioners to override the Coastal Commission staff at a Coastal Commission hearing. SANDAG's Notice of Impending Development (NOID) for the west-side alignment was heard by the Coastal Commission on May 11, 2017. After a presentation by Coastal Commission staff who recommended that the Commission mandate the east-side alignment, SANDAG and the Mayor of Encinitas presented their case for the west-side alignment. Advocacy groups and residents spoke on both sides of the issue (this advocacy group was represented at the meeting and members spoke forcefully in favor of the east side alignment). Then the Commission deliberated.
Commissioner Greg Gox pushed hard to pass a motion approving the west-side alignment. When put to a vote, the motion failed 5-7. Once the west-side alignment was rejected, the Commission voted 12-0 to accept the staff recommendation requiring the east-side alignment for the trail.
With the Coastal Commission locking in the east-side alignment, SANDAG acquiesced and pivoted the project back to its original east-side design and plan. The City of Encinitas graciously stepped back into the role of SANDAG partner for the east-side alignment as well. SANDAG's Board fully funded trail construction on June 9, 2017. Construction started on April 30, 2018 and finished in early May of 2019.
So... after many, many years of twists and turns, leaps forward followed by huge reversals, a whole bunch of hard work, lots of waiting, buckets of angst, some good luck, and a tidal wave of goodwill from those of us who fought for it... the Cardiff Rail Trail has been finally completed. It's already a community treasure!
The early plans for the Cardiff Rail Trail were shared with Encinitas residents at a series of public meetings in 2013, 2014, and 2015. At the very last meeting in April of 2015, SANDAG offered up a twist on the project plan: They presented Encinitas residents and elected officials with a choice between two alignments of the rail trail. The first alternative was the east-side alignment through the rail corridor that had been contemplated for the entire history of the project. The second was something new, a west-side alignment along Route 101 that would consist of basic improvements to the existing pedestrian and bike path that is already there.
Cardiff residents were immediately polarized by the two choices. The west-side alignment drew support from a group of Cardiff residents long opposed to building the trail in the rail corridor. A second group of Cardiff residents wanted the original east-side alignment.
The Encinitas City Council endorsed the east-side alignment in May of 2015. This angered the residents who did not want a trail in the rail corridor, and they launched a well-organized advocacy campaign in November of 2015 to pressure the City Council to either block the rail trail entirely or at least reverse their decision and endorse SANDAG's new Route 101 option instead. Under the banner of "No Rail Trail", the opposition campaign included a web site, a Facebook page, and a presence at many City Council meetings (with members of the "No Rail Trail" group pulling speaker slips and stating their opposition at the dais).
This aggressive "No Rail Trail" campaign prompted a significant backlash among the residents who wanted a rail trail as a community amenity and favored the original east-side alignment. A "YES" campaign emerged as these supporters began to organize in turn and fight back with equal intensity.
The alignment issue became a very hot topic in Encinitas and divided the community between late 2015 and early 2016. There were passionate feelings on both sides. The east-side and west-side advocacy groups were very active, engaging in community outreach and and investing hundreds of hours of volunteer time.
The "No Rail Trail" group based their opposition to the east side alignment primarily on the loss of beach access resulting from the requirement for a fence to go with the trail (mandated by North County Transit District, who owns the railroad right-of-way). The fence would force some people who live nearby to either clamber over the four foot post-and-cable barrier to get across the tracks illegally or detour to a safe and legal railroad/road crossing instead. Other east-side trail opponents were concerned about reduced parking on San Elijo Avenue because some parking spaces were to be traded for room to walk, run, and bike on the narrow bluff top near Santa Fe. Finally, a number of trail opponents wanted to leave the open space in the rail corridor south of Verdi and north of Chesterfield completely undeveloped.
Proponents of the east-side alignment made the case that the new rail trail would connect the communities along the rail corridor, solve serious safety issues on north San Elijo Avenue where pedestrians were forced out into traffic by haphazard parking on the bluff top, and open up the corridor to recreational use by walkers, runners, and cyclists of all ages and abilities. The east-side proponents countered the arguments about the required fence with the assertion that the fence would eventually be built anyway (as NCTD has publicly stated). Also, a new pedestrian railroad and road crossing at Montgomery Avenue or Verdi Avenue would provide safe and legal beach access, eliminating the need for residents to run across the tracks and then Route 101 illegally. East-side advocates also believed that giving up some parking on the north part of San Elijo in exchange for significantly improved pedestrian and bike safety (and accessibility) was a trade-off worth making. As for the impact of the trail on the environment, east-side supporters were convinced that the new trail would be a huge improvement over the chaotic dirt parking lot running along San Elijo to the north and would blend in with the open space in the south (where it would wind through the vegetation and terrain features).
This web site is maintained by The Friends of the Cardiff Rail Trail, the largest advocacy group that supported the east-side alignment. Our pro-trail group had a list of over 1,700 people who went on the record supporting the east-side trail.
The "No Rail Trail" opposition group was also very well organized and had a list of over 1,400 people opposing the east-side alignment.
Both advocacy groups created and maintained sophisticated web sites, Facebook pages, and social media campaigns. Both groups spoke repeatedly in front of the City Council. Both groups went door to door in Encinitas to talk to residents and held several meetings with representatives of the Encinitas City Council, SANDAG, the California Coastal Commission, and NCTD.
During January and February of 2016, the furor around the alignment issue reached new heights. There were demonstrations at a SANDAG public meeting, rallies, and a flood of media coverage. Facebook and the online Nextdoor neighborhood community became battlefields. Neighbor was pitted against neighbor. The Cardiff community was torn apart.
In late February the east-side opponents increased the stakes by putting direct political pressure on the Encinitas City Council members who had originally supported the east-side alignment, putting up signs that called out council members by name. The drama came to a head on March 30, 2016 when the Council reversed itself and endorsed the west-side 101 alignment after hours of public testimony in favor and against. SANDAG deferred to the City and began planning for the west-side alignment.
With the City Council and SANDAG pursuing the west-side alignment of the Cardiff Rail Trail, the story seemed to reach its end. The "No Rail Trail" group declared victory. The east-side supporters (including this advocacy group) retreated to lick their wounds.
However, the story wasn't over at all. Once the staff at the California Coastal Commission got wind of the switch from the east-side alignment to the west-side alignment in the summer of 2016, they sent a sharply worded letter to SANDAG saying that the west-side alignment wasn't compliant with the regional Public Works Plan that defined the constraints for the Coastal Rail Trail. The Coastal Commission staff also made the point that the east-side alignment had been in the works for more than 20 years. The west-side alignment met neither the spirit nor the letter of the conditions attached to its funding.
SANDAG decided to proceed with the west side alignment anyway. They tried to get the Coastal Commissioners to override the Coastal Commission staff at a Coastal Commission hearing. SANDAG's Notice of Impending Development (NOID) for the west-side alignment was heard by the Coastal Commission on May 11, 2017. After a presentation by Coastal Commission staff who recommended that the Commission mandate the east-side alignment, SANDAG and the Mayor of Encinitas presented their case for the west-side alignment. Advocacy groups and residents spoke on both sides of the issue (this advocacy group was represented at the meeting and members spoke forcefully in favor of the east side alignment). Then the Commission deliberated.
Commissioner Greg Gox pushed hard to pass a motion approving the west-side alignment. When put to a vote, the motion failed 5-7. Once the west-side alignment was rejected, the Commission voted 12-0 to accept the staff recommendation requiring the east-side alignment for the trail.
With the Coastal Commission locking in the east-side alignment, SANDAG acquiesced and pivoted the project back to its original east-side design and plan. The City of Encinitas graciously stepped back into the role of SANDAG partner for the east-side alignment as well. SANDAG's Board fully funded trail construction on June 9, 2017. Construction started on April 30, 2018 and finished in early May of 2019.
So... after many, many years of twists and turns, leaps forward followed by huge reversals, a whole bunch of hard work, lots of waiting, buckets of angst, some good luck, and a tidal wave of goodwill from those of us who fought for it... the Cardiff Rail Trail has been finally completed. It's already a community treasure!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the alignment issue go before the Coastal Commission given that the Encinitas City Council voted on it over a year before? The short answer is that the California Coastal Commission had a say in the alignment decision because they have to interpret the approved Public Works Plan that governs this sort of development along the coast. Commission staff were opposed to the west-side alignment and were consistent and clear about this position all along.
The longer answer is a little bit technical. There is a master plan for transportation along the coast in North County called the Public Works Plan (PWP) for the North Coast Corridor Project. Part of the PWP addresses the creation of new trails for pedestrians and cyclists and specifically describes the Coastal Rail Trail which will eventually run from Oceanside to the City of San Diego. Specific requirements for the Coastal Rail Trail include the mandate to build it within the rail corridor unless there are physical, environmental, or safety constraints that would force a deviation out of the corridor.
Commission staff took the position that the west-side alignment of the CRT was not compliant with the PWP. Furthermore, we had the impression at the time that Commission staff didn't see the 101 option as being in the spirit of the PWP and of the grants providing its funding.
There is a simple and clear intent behind all these acronyms and obscure sounding plans: To create new trails and transportation options for residents with an emphasis on walking and biking. The west-side option for the rail trail in Cardiff simply improved a paved path that already exists on the west side of the 101. The east-side alignment, on the other hand, is clearly a new transportation facility for pedestrians and cyclists.
What is SANDAG and why do I keep seeing it referenced whenever there is discussion of the rail trail? SANDAG stands for the San Diego Association of Governments (a body that includes representatives from the City of San Diego and all of the cities in the immediate area around San Diego). SANDAG is the region's primary public planning, transportation, and research agency and is responsible for the actual design, permits, and construction of the rail trail. They are also administering its funding. SANDAG tries to be a good partner to the local governments affected by its work - including the City of Encinitas - but ultimately it is on the hook for the trail.
Why does there have to be a fence along the trail? A four foot tall post-and-cable fence has been built alongside the railroad tracks as part of the east-side rail trail project. The right of way along the tracks is owned by NCTD (North County Transit District) and they are insisting on the fence. NCTD has publicly stated that they will fence off the entire Encinitas rail corridor one way or another (trail or no trail). In an interview with The Coast News in early December 2015, an NCTD spokesperson said that Encinitas was drawing unwelcome attention because of the safety issues stemming from people illegally crossing the railroad tracks. With more than 10 fatalities since 2012 and 80+ near misses, NCTD feels the need to act in the near future. Railroad safety issues will get worse as the double-tracking project already underway in North County reaches completion in the coming years. Train traffic through Cardiff is set to double.
Where did the money for the trail come from? The short answer is that the vast majority of the $10MM+ in funding (all but a few hundred thousand dollars) did not come from the City of Encinitas. Most of the money for the new rail trail came from TransNet, a regional transportation improvement program paid for by a half-cent sales tax in San Diego County. Other funding came from other state, local, and federal sources.
What about beach access? Much of the heat coming from the opposition flowed from fears about losing beach access. Some Cardiff residents living east of the tracks along San Elijo like to cross the tracks illegally in order to get directly to the beach without detouring to the legal crossings at Chesterfield and Santa Fe. With a post-and-cable fence built along the rail trail, access to the beach will be hindered.
The furor around preserving illegal access obscures a very real need for a safe and legal pedestrian crossing between Chesterfield and Santa Fe. While a minority of residents were comfortable crossing the tracks illegally, most everyone wants better options to cross safely and legally. It's imperative that the City of Encinitas provide residents with at least one additional pedestrian crossing at Montgomery Avenue or Verdi Avenue.
The good news is that the City is well aware of the need and has been actively researching options for the last few years. After studying an at-grade crossing at Montgomery Avenue (including a field test of the wayside horns needed to stop trains from blowing their horns at the crossing), the City shifted its focus to an undercrossing at Verdi Avenue. The City funded the design of the new pedestrian underpass with $1.7MM in November of 2017.
The new underpass will eliminate the noise issue associated with the at-grade crossing and also has less potential for running into regulatory roadblocks. It's the right answer.
A traffic light and a pedestrian activated road crossing on Rte. 101 will be a part of the project.
What about parking? A number of Cardiff residents were concerned about a reduction in available free parking along San Elijo Avenue to the north (from Verdi to Santa Fe). With the trail construction, the chaotic unimproved dirt parking lot on the shoulder of San Elijo was replaced by several stretches of paved parallel parking. Overall, there is less space for parking along the north part of San Elijo than before but the parking is much better organized and is more accessible. There was a straight trade-off between parking capacity and space for walking, running, and cycling safely. The trail is a compromise that will work for most people, most of the time. On busy holiday weekends, cars may have to park a little further south of the Santa Fe intersection than they used to before the trail construction.
What were the pedestrian and bike safety issues on north San Elijo Avenue? North San Elijo Avenue was not pedestrian or bicycle friendly before the trail was built. There was haphazard parking on an uneven dirt strip along the narrow bluff top south of Santa Fe, running all the way down to Verdi Avenue. Walkers and riders trying to walk along the bluff were often forced out into speeding traffic as they navigated an obstacle course of parked cars and trucks (which were often parked at 90 degrees to the road). The east-side rail trail addressed the safety issues and make this stretch of San Elijo a dream for walkers, runners, and cyclists.
Is the trail be stroller and walker friendly? The trail is accessible to all (pedestrians, runners, and cyclists of all ages and abilities).
The longer answer is a little bit technical. There is a master plan for transportation along the coast in North County called the Public Works Plan (PWP) for the North Coast Corridor Project. Part of the PWP addresses the creation of new trails for pedestrians and cyclists and specifically describes the Coastal Rail Trail which will eventually run from Oceanside to the City of San Diego. Specific requirements for the Coastal Rail Trail include the mandate to build it within the rail corridor unless there are physical, environmental, or safety constraints that would force a deviation out of the corridor.
Commission staff took the position that the west-side alignment of the CRT was not compliant with the PWP. Furthermore, we had the impression at the time that Commission staff didn't see the 101 option as being in the spirit of the PWP and of the grants providing its funding.
There is a simple and clear intent behind all these acronyms and obscure sounding plans: To create new trails and transportation options for residents with an emphasis on walking and biking. The west-side option for the rail trail in Cardiff simply improved a paved path that already exists on the west side of the 101. The east-side alignment, on the other hand, is clearly a new transportation facility for pedestrians and cyclists.
What is SANDAG and why do I keep seeing it referenced whenever there is discussion of the rail trail? SANDAG stands for the San Diego Association of Governments (a body that includes representatives from the City of San Diego and all of the cities in the immediate area around San Diego). SANDAG is the region's primary public planning, transportation, and research agency and is responsible for the actual design, permits, and construction of the rail trail. They are also administering its funding. SANDAG tries to be a good partner to the local governments affected by its work - including the City of Encinitas - but ultimately it is on the hook for the trail.
Why does there have to be a fence along the trail? A four foot tall post-and-cable fence has been built alongside the railroad tracks as part of the east-side rail trail project. The right of way along the tracks is owned by NCTD (North County Transit District) and they are insisting on the fence. NCTD has publicly stated that they will fence off the entire Encinitas rail corridor one way or another (trail or no trail). In an interview with The Coast News in early December 2015, an NCTD spokesperson said that Encinitas was drawing unwelcome attention because of the safety issues stemming from people illegally crossing the railroad tracks. With more than 10 fatalities since 2012 and 80+ near misses, NCTD feels the need to act in the near future. Railroad safety issues will get worse as the double-tracking project already underway in North County reaches completion in the coming years. Train traffic through Cardiff is set to double.
Where did the money for the trail come from? The short answer is that the vast majority of the $10MM+ in funding (all but a few hundred thousand dollars) did not come from the City of Encinitas. Most of the money for the new rail trail came from TransNet, a regional transportation improvement program paid for by a half-cent sales tax in San Diego County. Other funding came from other state, local, and federal sources.
What about beach access? Much of the heat coming from the opposition flowed from fears about losing beach access. Some Cardiff residents living east of the tracks along San Elijo like to cross the tracks illegally in order to get directly to the beach without detouring to the legal crossings at Chesterfield and Santa Fe. With a post-and-cable fence built along the rail trail, access to the beach will be hindered.
The furor around preserving illegal access obscures a very real need for a safe and legal pedestrian crossing between Chesterfield and Santa Fe. While a minority of residents were comfortable crossing the tracks illegally, most everyone wants better options to cross safely and legally. It's imperative that the City of Encinitas provide residents with at least one additional pedestrian crossing at Montgomery Avenue or Verdi Avenue.
The good news is that the City is well aware of the need and has been actively researching options for the last few years. After studying an at-grade crossing at Montgomery Avenue (including a field test of the wayside horns needed to stop trains from blowing their horns at the crossing), the City shifted its focus to an undercrossing at Verdi Avenue. The City funded the design of the new pedestrian underpass with $1.7MM in November of 2017.
The new underpass will eliminate the noise issue associated with the at-grade crossing and also has less potential for running into regulatory roadblocks. It's the right answer.
A traffic light and a pedestrian activated road crossing on Rte. 101 will be a part of the project.
What about parking? A number of Cardiff residents were concerned about a reduction in available free parking along San Elijo Avenue to the north (from Verdi to Santa Fe). With the trail construction, the chaotic unimproved dirt parking lot on the shoulder of San Elijo was replaced by several stretches of paved parallel parking. Overall, there is less space for parking along the north part of San Elijo than before but the parking is much better organized and is more accessible. There was a straight trade-off between parking capacity and space for walking, running, and cycling safely. The trail is a compromise that will work for most people, most of the time. On busy holiday weekends, cars may have to park a little further south of the Santa Fe intersection than they used to before the trail construction.
What were the pedestrian and bike safety issues on north San Elijo Avenue? North San Elijo Avenue was not pedestrian or bicycle friendly before the trail was built. There was haphazard parking on an uneven dirt strip along the narrow bluff top south of Santa Fe, running all the way down to Verdi Avenue. Walkers and riders trying to walk along the bluff were often forced out into speeding traffic as they navigated an obstacle course of parked cars and trucks (which were often parked at 90 degrees to the road). The east-side rail trail addressed the safety issues and make this stretch of San Elijo a dream for walkers, runners, and cyclists.
Is the trail be stroller and walker friendly? The trail is accessible to all (pedestrians, runners, and cyclists of all ages and abilities).