DATE: April 22, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Development Services Department
TITLE: APPROVAL OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE OCEANSIDE INLAND RAIL TRAIL FROM THE COASTAL RAIL TRAIL TO THE OCEANSIDE/VISTA CITY BORDER
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff recommends that the City Council approve the recommendations of the Oceanside Inland Rail Trail Feasibility Study.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
The Inland Rail Trail (IRT) is a planned continuous 21-mile multi-use path that will connect the communities of Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, portions of unincorporated San Diego County and Escondido. The IRT concept is based on the 1995 Escondido to Oceanside Rail/Trail Bikeway Project Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which established a framework for a cohesive regional bikeway and trail system supporting non-motorized transportation. This MOU was executed by the cities of Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, Escondido, the County of San Diego, and the North County Transit District (formerly the North San Diego Transit Development Board).
The Oceanside Inland Rail Trail (OIRT) represents the final 7.6-mile segment needed to complete the 21-mile trail corridor. The OIRT will connect the existing Coastal Rail Trail near the intersection of Myers Street and Oceanside Boulevard to the IRT in Vista at the intersection of Melrose Drive and Oceanside Boulevard. The OIRT is intended to provide continuous access to jobs, housing, medical and community services, and recreational amenities from Escondido to the Oceanside coastline. The purpose of the OIRT Feasibility Study (Study) is to achieve a "grant-ready" project that will be well-positioned to compete for local, regional, state, and federal funding for final design and construction.
The Study was a collaborative effort among the City of Oceanside, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), North County Transit District, and a Community Advisory Board (CAB). The CAB convened four times durin...
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