# Mission Valley East LRT Extension {#mission-valley-east-lrt-extension .Title-1}

## San Diego, California {#san-diego-california .Title-2}

(November 2005)

# Description

The Metropolitan Transit Development Board (MTDB) is constructing a
5.9-mile Mission Valley East Light Rail Transit (LRT) extension of the
agency's Blue Line, from its current terminus east of Interstate 15 to
the City of La Mesa, where it will connect to the existing Orange Line
near Baltimore Drive. The project includes four new stations at
Grantville, San Diego State University, Alvarado Medical Center, and
70th Street. The project will also serve two existing stations at
Mission San Diego and Grossmont Center, and includes the purchase of 11
low-floor light rail vehicles. The project has elevated at-grade and
tunnel segments, two park-and-ride lots, and a new access road between
Waring Road and the Grantville Station. The project is expected to serve
10,800 average weekday boardings in 2015.

The total project cost under the Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) for
the Mission Valley East extension is \$430.96 million. The Section 5309
New Starts funding share is \$329.96 million.

# Status

A major investment study/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was
completed in May 1997. The Mission Valley East segment was the locally
preferred alternative selected in October 1997 by MTDB, with concurrence
from the San Diego Association of Governments (the local Metropolitan
Planning Organization). FTA approved the project into preliminary
engineering in March 1998. Preliminary engineering was completed in July
1998. The Final EIS was completed and FTA issued a Record of Decision in
August 1998. FTA approved the project into final design in October 1998.
FTA and MTDB entered into an FFGA in June 2000. The system was opened
for revenue operations five months ahead of schedule, on July 8, 2005.

SAFETEA-LU Section 3043(a)(26) authorized the Mission Valley East
Corridor for final design and construction. Through FY 2006, Congress
has appropriated \$329.15 million in Section 5309 funds for this
project.

+-------------------------+--------------+-----------------------------+
| #  **Reported           |              |                             |
| in Year of Expenditure  |              |                             |
| Dollars** {#reported-in |              |                             |
| -year-of-expenditure-do |              |                             |
| llars .Table-Heading-1} |              |                             |
+-------------------------+--------------+-----------------------------+
| **[Source of            | **Total      | **[Appropriations to        |
| Funds]{.underline}**    | Funding      | Date]{.underline}**         |
|                         | [            |                             |
|                         | (million)]{. |                             |
|                         | underline}** |                             |
+-------------------------+--------------+-----------------------------+
| **Federal:**            | \$329.96     | \$329.15 million            |
|                         |              | appropriated through        |
| Section 5309 New Starts | \$13.70      | FY 2006                     |
|                         |              |                             |
| FFGA Commitment         |              |                             |
|                         |              |                             |
| Flexible Funds          |              |                             |
+-------------------------+--------------+-----------------------------+
| **State:**              | \$4.10       |                             |
|                         |              |                             |
| Transit Capital         | \$0.80       |                             |
| Improvement             |              |                             |
|                         | \$62.90      |                             |
| Traffic System          |              |                             |
| Management              |              |                             |
|                         |              |                             |
| Statewide               |              |                             |
| Transportation          |              |                             |
|                         |              |                             |
| Improvement Program     |              |                             |
+-------------------------+--------------+-----------------------------+
| **Local:**              | \$19.50      |                             |
|                         |              |                             |
| Transnet Sales Tax      |              |                             |
+-------------------------+--------------+-----------------------------+
| #### TOTAL              | **\$430.96** |                             |
|                         | ^1^          |                             |
+-------------------------+--------------+-----------------------------+
| **NOTE:** The sum of    |              |                             |
| the figures may differ  |              |                             |
| from the total as       |              |                             |
| listed due to rounding. |              |                             |
|                         |              |                             |
| ^1^ \$1 million in-kind |              |                             |
| right-of-way donation   |              |                             |
| not included in total.  |              |                             |
+-------------------------+--------------+-----------------------------+

MAP