SANDAG scrambles to shore up Del Mar

Del Mar Bluffs Race Against the Rain

Another storm is heading for San Diego this week, and the Del Mar Bluffs are bracing for impact.

Families strolled near Seagrove Park on Sunday, enjoying ocean views from the same 1.7-mile stretch of coastline that has been slowly crumbling for decades. Trains rumbled past on tracks that sit uncomfortably close to the edge, a reminder of just how precarious the situation remains.

SANDAG is currently in the middle of its $88 million Phase 5 stabilization project, which includes installing support columns, extending seawalls, and improving drainage along the bluffs. Construction began in spring 2024 and is expected to run through 2027. Workers have been drilling, pouring concrete, and building retaining walls, sometimes working overnight due to heavy daytime train traffic.

The timing of this week's rain is concerning. Geology expert Patrick Abbott told NBC 7 that the ground is already saturated from earlier storms this season. Adding more water increases weight and pressure on the bluffs, pushing them closer to failure. The bluffs erode roughly six inches per year on average, driven by storm runoff, irrigation, and rising sea levels.

Del Mar father Aaron Selfridge sat on a park bench Sunday watching his kids play near the construction zone. He said he is aware of the erosion risk but still wants his children to enjoy the outdoors. He draws the line at letting them near the cliff edges.

Since 2003, SANDAG and the North County Transit District have completed four stabilization phases, installing more than 230 support columns and upgrading drainage infrastructure. The current project is a short-term fix designed to hold for about 30 years.

The real long-term solution, relocating the train tracks entirely off the coastline, remains years away and dependent on environmental studies and state and federal funding. As Abbott put it, sea levels are rising and every passing year makes the inevitable harder to manage.

Sources: NBC San Diego | SANDAG | CBS 8 | FOX 5 | City of Del Mar