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Capital Improvements Program (CIP)

Harbor Drive Trunk Sewer

Project Background

This project will replace and upsize more than 4,000 linear feet of trunk sewer main along Harbor Drive from Park Boulevard to Beardsley Street, Imperial Avenue from 12th Avenue to Park Boulevard and Park Boulevard from Imperial Avenue to Harbor Drive. The new, larger main will provide increased capacity, improved structural integrity and renewed infrastructure for the area to support additional and projected sewage flows.

Anticipated Schedule

  • Construction start: Fall 2022.
  • Construction end: Early 2025.*
    • Work will take place in four phases:
      • Phase 1 – Performing geotechnical and subsurface investigations of the project alignment along Harbor Drive.
      • Phase 2 – Installing new sewer mains along Park Boulevard from Harbor Drive to Imperial Avenue and Imperial Avenue from Park Boulevard to 12th Avenue.
      • Phase 3 – Installing new sewer mains and steel carrier pipes under the railway crossings on Park Boulevard between Tony Gwynn Drive and Harbor Drive.
      • Phase 4 – Installing new sewer mains and steel carrier pipes along Harbor Drive between Park Boulevard and Beardsley Street.

Project Budget

The project's budget is $42.2 million.*

Community Impact

Traffic delays are expected. Anyone heading to the Embarcadero or harbor areas, including Petco Park, the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park and the Convention Center, is encouraged to plan ahead, allow extra time, find alternate routes or use public transportation.

Traffic in both directions on Harbor Drive from Park Boulevard to Beardsley Street is reduced to one lane and the southside sidewalk is closed. During portions of the project, all southbound vehicle and bicycle lanes will be closed to allow for tunneling operations and all traffic will be moved to the two northbound lanes, with one lane of shared vehicle and bicycle traffic in each direction.

Partial closure of Harbor Drive

Access for area businesses and residents will be maintained. Commuters are advised to use alternate routes around the construction area or use public transportation. The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) has several options that are just a short walk from the impacted area, including the 12th & Imperial Trolley Station with access to all three trolley lines and the Green Line Trolley’s Gaslamp Quarter Station, as well as several bus routes. For more information on MTS services, visit the MTS trip planner. To ensure everyone’s safety, drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians should follow all posted signage and follow detours. Traffic control officers will help direct the flow of traffic during events in the area. Access for emergency vehicles will be maintained at all times.

Community Outreach

During the project's design phase, City staff presented the design and anticipated construction impacts to the two area Community Planning Groups. In addition, residents and businesses were notified prior to the start of construction and the City's contractor delivered an informational door hanger approximately five days before activity began in each project area.

The Construction Management team holds monthly meetings with area stakeholders to coordinate traffic control, work zones and updated schedule information.

Contact Us

For questions about this project, contact the Engineering & Capital Projects Department at 619-533-4207, email engineering@sandiego.gov or submit your inquiry online. Please reference "Harbor Drive Trunk Sewer" in your inquiry.

*Anticipated schedule and project budget are subject to change.