Thursday, November 3, 2011

Connection

There is a real disconnect between areas of greater San Diego: a city sold as a "city of villages".  San Diego is still relatively young but has a need to improve and implement a better public transportation system.  The problem is there, everyone realizes this.  To fix this issue it would take reform.  These issues with the transportation systems are specific, yet interconnected.  I have defined a specific problem, one which has already been attempted to correct (to some degree).  With the outside aid of Jim Frost I plan to examine why this obvious problem still plagues San Diego as he attempted to create a transportation hub near the airport, to connect all forms of transportation, and link it with the airport.

The San Diego Trolley runs adjacent to the airport, but does not stop there.  People flying into San Diego's international airport have no other way to continue on without struggling with the bus or having someone pick them up.  I propose to connect the airport with downtown, specifically the Santa Fe Depot (the current Amtrak stop in downtown San Diego, and an existing trolley stop directly across from the ferry terminal).  The route of the proposed trolley line would run between North Harbor Drive and Pacific Highway (east-west), with a stop at the airport (north), running south to Broadway.  The area the trolley (or other light-rail system) would go through is comprised mainly of parking lots, the city Administration Building, a hotel and restaurants.  These paved lots separate the city from the San Diego Bay, but have been devoted areas of renewal for parks in the near future.  The parks, and other lots can be redeveloped to literally and physically connect the airport to the city.

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