Press Release

Solana Beach to Complete Rail Trail, Based on State Funding Secured by Sen. Blakespear

$300,000 provided by the state budget will help fund the $1.075 million project extending the trail north from Ocean Street to Encinitas

SACRAMENTO – The City of Solana Beach has agreed to accept $300,000 in state funding secured by Sen. Catherine S. Blakespear, D-Encinitas, to help pay for a planned extension to complete the Coastal Rail Trail on the north end of the city. 

The trail, a designated path for bicyclists and pedestrians, starts at the city’s southern border at Via de la Valle and continues north, running between the railroad tracks and Highway 101, before stopping at Ocean Street. The project, which will extend the trail on the east side of Highway 101 north from Ocean Street to Encinitas, is scheduled to start construction next fall and be completed by March 2028. 

“I am grateful to be able to secure state funding for this important project,” Sen. Blakespear said. “This trail ensures that cyclists and pedestrians have a continuous path. Currently, the rail trail abruptly merges onto the road. This project will create a smoother and safer transition into the protected bike lane in Encinitas.”

“Sen. Blakespear has been a long-time supporter of our region’s network of interconnected trails, and we are so grateful for her dedication to this project and our Coastal Rail Trail,” said Solana Beach Mayor Lesa Heebner. “This $300,000 grant will support improvements to the northern end of the Rail Trail and its completion in Solana Beach, all the way to the border with the City of Encinitas, providing a safe and scenic path for pedestrians and cyclists.” 

The project entails extending the concrete path complete with landscaping and irrigation, as well as making improvements to the existing trail. A strong proponent of making communities more pedestrian and bicycle friendly and of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change, Blakespear played an instrumental role as mayor of Encinitas in getting the Coastal Rail Trail built in that city.   

Serving in her fourth year in the state Senate, Sen. Blakespear has fought to win state funding for key projects across the district she represents. The 2025-26 state budget also included:

  • $3.59 million for the expansion of Oceanside Museum of Art.
  • $1.67 million for San Diego County’s Landlord Incentive Program aimed at housing those experiencing homelessness.
  • $1.175 million to expand and enhance the Oso Creek Trail in Mission Viejo.
  • $265,000 for the La Novia Community Farm project in San Juan Capistrano.

Sen. Blakespear represents Senate District 38, which covers northern San Diego County and southern Orange County. To learn more about the district and Sen. Blakespear, visit her Senate website.