Rancho Bernardo Transit Station Will Reopen March 18

After about six months of construction to make improvements, the Rancho Bernardo transit station, including the parking lot, will reopen fully on Monday, March 18.

The Del Lago Station will also reopen, SANDAG stated.

Transit riders will enjoy numerous upgrades at the stations, including additional bus bays, electronic signs showing the arrival time for the next bus, and security cameras.

SANDAG has revamped the stations in preparation for the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) to launch all-day Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service along Interstate 15 starting in 2014. MTS operates local service from the Del Lago station and a combination of local and downtown Premium Express service from Rancho Bernardo. North County Transit District (NCTD) operates the BREEZE Rapid from Del Lago near the Westfield North County Mall.

As the Del Lago and Rancho Bernardo stations are poised to reopen, the Sabre Springs/Peñasquitos Transit Station will close for about a year for upgrades starting 8 p.m., Friday, March 15.

Cars left in the parking lot will be towed on Monday, March 18. For details about alternate Park & Ride locations, visit the I-15 Transit Projects section on KeepSanDiegoMoving.com. 

The future BRT system, the first of its kind in the region, will pick up riders at the upgraded transit stations and use the I-15 Express Lanes to reduce travel times to employment centers between Escondido and Downtown San Diego. The BRT buses will operate in addition to the peak-hour Premium Express services.

“The investments we are making to launch the I-15 Bus Rapid Transit service represent a giant step forward in expanding travel choices in the region,” SANDAG Chair and Santee Councilmember Jack Dale said. “The I-15 Express Lanes and the Direct Access Ramps to the Express Lanes will allow buses to speed up travel so they are time-competitive with solo driving.”

The Del Lago and Rancho Bernardo improvements cost an estimated $3 million. Flatiron is the contractor. California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) staff is providing project management and construction oversight to help meet required state standards.

The upgraded Sabre Springs station will include a four-story parking structure and added surface parking for a total of 630 spaces, bus staging areas, new shelters, next bus arrival signs, water-efficient landscaping, lighting, a photovoltaic system that doubles as a shade structure for cars, electric vehicle charging stations, fuel-efficient and smart vehicle spaces, security cameras, and a modular bicycle parking facility.

The project will be built by McCarthy Building Companies under a $12.2 million design-build contract that will accelerate the construction schedule, saving time and money.

Two additional transit-related projects also are underway on I-15. The new Miramar College Transit Station and Mira Mesa Direct Access Ramp (DAR) are under construction and will be completed in summer 2014.  

To learn more about projects along the I-15, call the information line at (858) 668-3368 or visit KeepSanDiegoMoving.com.

—Taken from a SANDAG news release