SUBJECT:

Free Food and Fun at Trolley Groundbreaking Celebration on Campus

Come kick-off construction on the Mid-Coast Trolley project at a free, family-friendly event on the UC San Diego campus Saturday, Oct. 22. Organized by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), the celebration is open to the public and will feature free food, fun activities, live music and more.

Saturday, October 22
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Manchester Field at The Preuss School UCSD
More information: http://www.KeepSandiegoMoving.com/Midcoast

An 11-mile addition to the San Diego Trolley system, the Mid-Coast project will extend the Blue Line from Old Town up along Interstate 5 to UC San Diego and beyond. There will be nine new trolley stations built as part of the project including one stop at the VA Medical Center and two UC San Diego stops: Pepper Canyon, serving the west campus, and Voigt Drive, serving east campus.

When the trolley begins service in 2021, it will transform the way people access and experience our campus, and better connect us to the greater San Diego community. Downtown will be just a 30 minute ride away, the border a little over an hour. Students, faculty and staff who live on or near campus can take advantage of all our region has to offer, without worrying about traffic or parking. Likewise, many San Diego communities will be better able to access the educational, cultural, job and health care opportunities offered by UC San Diego and the La Jolla/Golden Triangle area.

The trolley will also provide an effective campus commuting alternative, helping to reduce roadway congestion and ease parking demands. This will be key to UC San Diego's sustainability efforts, helping us reduce our carbon footprint and reach carbon neutrality by 2025.

I encourage you to learn more about the trolley and its upcoming construction at UC San Diego by visiting http://OnTheGo.ucsd.edu/projects/trolley-lrt.html. You can also view station simulations and watch a "flyover" of the Mid-Coast Trolley route.

There is much to celebrate about the trolley coming to campus so please join me on Oct. 22 and let's kick-off construction together!

Gary C. Matthews Vice Chancellor - Resource Management and Planning