Officials from the San Diego Association of Governments, the Metropolitan Transit System and UC San Diego Wednesday marked the completion of upgrades to MTS' SuperLoop Rapid Transit bus route.
SANDAG completed the final phase of the route's upgrades with five SuperLoop Rapid stations near UCSD and La Jolla Village. In total, SANDAG improved 24 stations and four stops on the SuperLoop route and made multiple improvements to roadways along the route.
The $1.8 million final phase of upgrades began in summer 2017. In total, the upgrades cost roughly $36 million, funded by a half-cent sales tax on transportation in San Diego County that funds transportation updates and projects. SANDAG administers the tax.
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"Every day nearly 8,700 riders take the SuperLoop as a convenient and efficient way to get to work and school. This transportation option is vital to the people in University City and UCSD," said SANDAG Chair Terry Sinnott, a member of the Del Mar City Council. "This Rapid route is a major part of SANDAG's overall goal of relieving traffic congestion and reducing greenhouse gas emissions."
The SuperLoop route serves an estimated 2.1 million riders each year. The nine-mile bus route in through University City began running in 2009 and became a Rapid line in 2015. Buses in MTS' Rapid program run at a higher frequency with fewer stops to improve travel times. MTS plans to complete its newest Rapid line in San Diego's South Bay in early 2019.
"The way the UC San Diego community uses SuperLoop Rapid demonstrates that when given a real choice, people will choose transit," said San Diego City Councilwoman and MTS Board Chair Georgette Gomez. "The campus and surrounding communities are an example of an integrated transportation network that moves residents more efficiently, sustainably and affordably."
