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Coronado Belt Line
November/December 2024
The railroad route called the Coronado Belt Line was built in 1888 to connect San Diego and the rapidly developing resort town of Coronado. The rail line played an essential role in Coronado's growth, ferrying passengers to the newly built Hotel del Coronado and supporting the region's burgeoning tourism industry. For decades, the Belt Line remained in operation, until it was discontinued in the mid-20th century and fell into disuse.
In the early 2000s, developers set their sights on the land surrounding the Belt Line, proposing plans that would have destroyed much of the historic rail route for new development. Knowing the significance of the line—not only as a piece of transportation history but also as a vital part of the region’s cultural and architectural legacy—SOHO launched a decade-long campaign to protect it.
SOHO built a coalition of preservationists, historians, and local communities to raise awareness of the Belt Line's importance. We argued that the rail route, which curved along San Diego Bay with stunning waterfront views, was an irreplaceable part of San Diego’s heritage and should be protected, not bulldozed. We promoted the idea of repurposing the Belt Line for future use, potentially as part of a revitalized public transportation system or a scenic bike path, maintaining its historical value while providing contemporary benefits.
The fight to save the Coronado Belt Line was long and complex, involving legal battles, public outreach, and negotiations with city officials and developers. SOHO filed lawsuits to halt demolition plans, and held events to educate the public on its history and significance. We successfully nominated the Belt Line to the National Register of Historic Places, further solidifying its status as a protected site.
Finally, after a decade, SOHO succeeded in securing a landmark victory: the rail line was saved from destruction, and redevelopment plans were scrapped. In 2019, the City of San Diego formally recognized the Belt Line’s historic value, preserving it as a permanent reminder of the region’s rich transportation and cultural history.
The line has indeed found new life as part of a scenic bike path, known as the Bayshore Bikeway. This transformation represents a successful example of adaptive reuse, where a historic transportation corridor has been revitalized to serve today's residents and tourists.
The Bayshore Bikeway is a 24-mile bike route that circles San Diego Bay, connecting downtown San Diego to Coronado and other communities around the bay. The bike path, which uses portions of the historic Coronado Belt Line right-of-way, allows cyclists to ride along the original railway's route. The path is especially known for its breathtaking waterfront views, with cyclists enjoying sights of the ever-changing bay that are reminiscent of the experiences of passengers of old. Today, bicyclists and pedestrians also view the Coronado Bridge and downtown San Diego's skyline.
By repurposing it as a bike path, the city is preserving a crucial part of its transportation history, while promoting sustainable urban mobility. The Bikeway not only provides recreational opportunities for residents and visitors but also serves as an important commuter route, encouraging more people to bike between communities rather than drive.
Additionally, interpretive signs along the Bayshore Bikeway educate cyclists and pedestrians about the history of the rail line, ensuring that its significance is not forgotten.
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