Solana Beach breaks ground on Lomas Santa Fe Drive improvement project

Solana Beach Breaks Ground on $7.4 Million Lomas Santa Fe Corridor East Project

Solana Beach has officially kicked off construction on a $7.4 million overhaul of its most significant east-west thoroughfare, setting the stage for months of roadway reconstruction that will reshape traffic flow and pedestrian access from Interstate 5 to the city’s eastern border.

Mayor Lesa Heebner, City Council members, and city staff marked the milestone with an Oct. 28 groundbreaking ceremony for the Lomas Santa Fe Corridor East Improvements Project, The Coast News reported. The venture targets the corridor stretching from Santa Helena Drive near Interstate 5 to Highland Drive near San Dieguito County Park.

Funding and Phasing of the East Corridor Plan

Financial backing for the corridor overhaul leans heavily on federal assistance secured by Rep. Mike Levin, D-Dana Point, who brought in $7 million for the effort. The city’s Measure S one-cent sales tax revenue provides the remaining balance, bringing the total project budget to approximately $7.4 million after the city awarded Tri-Group Construction a contract in May featuring a 10% contingency.

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Construction will span roughly an 11-month schedule with an anticipated completion date in late summer or early fall 2027, according to city officials cited by The Coast News. According to city documents, the work will roll out in three distinct phases, beginning with raised medians featuring drought-tolerant landscaping before moving to sidewalk and drainage construction on the south side of the road, and finishing with roadway improvements and a scenic multiuse trail on the north side.

“This project has been a long time coming and notably was one of the capital improvement projects that received the most public input ever. The focus for the design was safety and multimodal access. And it happens to be beautiful as well,” Mayor Lesa Heebner said at the event, as reported by The Coast News.

Crews Maintain One Lane During Corridor Upgrades

Motorists and local residents should expect temporary lane closures, traffic control measures, and travel delays as crews work along the heavily traveled corridor. City Engineer Austin Frisby noted during a September council meeting that operations will maintain one lane of traffic in each direction throughout the build, while scheduling work around school drop-off times and holiday breaks.

Beyond vehicle paving, the eastern corridor upgrade introduces Class 2 bicycle lanes in both directions, new storm drain infrastructure, a traffic signal, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant curb ramps, benches, decorative paving, and trash and recycling containers. The nearly one-mile scenic multiuse trail on the north side mirrors the design elements of the Coastal Rail Trail, an aspect Frisby highlighted as a primary highlight for the community’s future non-motorized network.

Looking ahead, city planners are already preparing the next phase of the broader corridor initiative. Solana Beach plans to finalize design documents next year for improvements to the portion of Lomas Santa Fe Drive west of Interstate 5, backed by a $3.5 million grant awarded earlier this year by the San Diego Association of Governments.