SANDAG Accelerates Airport Transit Connection Procurement to Safeguard $350 Million in Dedicated Airline Funding

Transportation Committee Votes 6-2 to Expedite Airport Transit Connection

SAN DIEGO, California — Breaking decades of regional transit gridlock, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) Transportation Committee voted 6-2 in late September 2026 to accelerate the procurement timeline for the multi-billion-dollar Airport Transit Connection (ATC). The pivotal decision initiates concurrent Request for Information (RFI) and Request for Proposal (RFP) procedures to solicit private consortium designs and construction bids connecting San Diego International Airport (SAN) to the regional rail transit grid.

Civic leaders, including San Diego City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera and County Supervisor Joel Anderson, emphasized the extreme urgency of the vote: a dedicated $350 million airline infrastructure funding commitment expires in 2029 if physical construction is not underway, making immediate procurement essential to avoid forfeiting critical matching capital.

Five Finalist Concepts: People Mover and Trolley Extensions Evaluated

SANDAG engineers narrowed down 17 preliminary concepts to five vetted finalists, encompassing three Automated People Mover (APM) systems and two light-rail trolley spur alignments. Estimated project investments range from $1.2 billion for elevated automated transit to $3.1 billion for extended light-rail underground connections linking terminal concourses directly with Santa Fe Depot, the San Diego Convention Center, and the 12th & Imperial Transit Center.

Regional transportation experts noted that providing direct airport rail transit will eliminate thousands of daily automobile trips from congested Interstate 5 and Pacific Highway, dramatically lowering greenhouse gas emissions and simplifying airport commutes for travelers and hospitality workers.

MTS Increases Route 992 Airport Bus Frequency to Every 15 Minutes

As an immediate transit enhancement while permanent rail guideways are procured, the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) boosted frequency on the Route 992 Airport Express bus to every 15 minutes daily until 1 a.m. Regional leaders affirmed that fast-tracking the airport link fulfills a generational commitment to modern, world-class multimodal transit across San Diego County.